Secrets Among Us
by Paranormal Investigator
Summary: The New Guardian and Sonic the Hedgehog are faced with new challenges in regards to the Master Emerald. Familiar faces get drawn into the mix, GUN moves to further complicate things and... what's happening to Sonic? This is Part Two of Eternal Guardian.
1. So Much For Normal

**A/N**: To everyone who's finished reading Eternal Guardian, thank you for your reviews, I hope you all further enjoy the story. :) Not many people like to leave their comments but thanks to those who do. I like to see you all are enjoying the story and any critique you may want to add as well.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**: This is SONIC/SHADOW slash. Also, you need to read "Eternal Guardian" before this story otherwise you will not know what is going on. Please read it before you read this one. Also, this story was originally a RP (role play). I give credit to Brittany who plays Shadow, and I myself play Sonic.

**--**

Something was bothering him. He had been ignoring it since he woke up, and now was a good time to address it.

It didn't take him long to slip into his jet shoes, and make his way to the street below, sliding along the paved road as he headed back toward the island. Angel Island. Something he should have done last night. He had been putting off duties for too long, letting himself get distracted and almost immediately after he had taken on this huge responsibility.

Despite a mild upset, Shadow immediately relieved himself of it from the thoughts of a certain perky hedgehog the second the wind hit against his face and he inhaled the fresh morning air. A good run was all he needed. He had been yearning for one the second he woke up.

As he strode into the bay, Shadow slowed dramatically. He froze as he gaped at the sight before him, then stole automatic glances to his left and right to find out if anyone else was seeing what he was seeing.

Angel Island was floating in the ocean, like any other island. It seemed eerily calm and insignificant, waves crashing into the cliff face as opposed to rolling winds. He swallowed thickly - that wasn't the only thing wrong.

As a sinking feeling overwhelmed him, he realized at once that the Master Emerald was gone. There was an obvious absence of it's powerful presence ringing through the air like a siren. He cursed, turning his back to the island immediately. Right off hand he knew Rouge was capable of doing this, but she didn't have the time. And there was only one other painfully obvious suspect.

Shadow took off in the direction he was now facing. Like it or not, he had to find the Doctor's newest base. He hadn't given it much thought, but he knew someone who probably had. However unfortunately, the striped hedgehog knew he'd do best to ask Sonic first. As the Guardian glided effortlessly back towards the Mystic Ruins, he concentrated on where to first look for that damned faker. Like fate would have it, he didn't have to search long.

Having a joy ride through the city, the Guardian's problem hadn't went noticed. As he was approaching the coast, Sonic couldn't help but realize simultaneously he went past something just as fast as he is. A something that went thoroughly ignored while he did a power jump on top of a thirty story building. He hasn't had his fill of a good stress-relieving run after being forced out of Shadow's apartment, and he was in no mood to slow down. Besides, he felt like he's been missing out too much lately, and he seriously needed to get back into his zone.

Shadow spotted the other and started to slow to flag him down, but when they sped past one another, he finally came to a halt. He couldn't tell whether he was being blatantly ignored, or if Sonic honestly didn't see him. The hedgehog scowled, no matter what the reason was, he had to turn back around and charge after the bastard. He kicked off at full speed, forcing himself to move faster one stride at a time, then taking Sonic's lead to the rooftops.

"Oi. Misemono." His extra burst of energy met him alongside the other quickly as he used the lookalike name as a sort of insult. Surely the blue hedgehog knew that paying attention to your surroundings was a good idea at his pace, so he leaned more toward the suspicion that he was simply being given the cold shoulder.

Sonic's arms stretched out behind him as he soared feet after feet in the air only to land on top of another roof before jumping off of it. He repeated these steps while Shadow caught up with him. Not much of a surprise if the hedgehog had been intent with speaking to him. Seeing that he did, he spared him one of his trademark grins before stopping on a dime at the edge of one of the buildings he had intended to jump from, letting Shadow leap on through the air.

He wasn't sure why Shadow wanted to talk with him - he highly doubted it was to apologize for anything - but obviously it was important enough to run him down. But let's see just how bad he needed to speak with him.

Sonic ran down the side of the building in a blur before hitting the sidewalk and shooting off like a rocket, opposite to that of the ocean. A nice, wholesome, fun game of cat and mouse would do them both some good exercise and fun, neh?

Shadow's eyes widened greatly as he realized he was alone in his last jump. He landed, smoothly gliding around on those jet shoes to gape at the other. When Sonic hopped down and began to race away, Shadow clenched his fists. "Dammit!" This game was all too familiar to him, and he was not exactly up for playtime.

He dropped from his perch, pushing himself to catch up. What Shadow still failed to understand was why Sonic was so horribly childish. It made no sense to him why the other hedgehog preferred to make people work for a simple question. Not everyone was like the bastard, chasing robots for fun, skydiving off the side of buildings for a thrill. You got done what needed to be done first and foremost, and saved the joyride for later. That's just how things work!

He frowned, noting that obviously, that was not Sonic's way of thinking.

It was more along the lines of: why play later when he could have his fun now? Sonic looked back over his shoulder, smirking as he realized Shadow was chasing after him. He kept racing ahead, intent on making his little game last for as long as Shadow was capable of standing it. That, or if he actually caught him.

The hedgehog cut down an alley and jumped over a brick wall that would have ordinarily been someone's cliche of a dead end. He shot up so high, he felt like he was flying until gravity took its toll, landing him on top of a narrow wooden gate that led around someone's house near the alley he had leaped out of. He ran across it like a cat on crack and jumped onto a small home that gave him a stepping stone to a higher perch on an apartment building.

Shadow growled, not desiring to keep this up for long, and gave himself an extra boost to keep up. He closed the distance a second time, jumping only a split second after the other onto the apartment. "Listen, you!" He swung his arms in time, glaring over at the other hedgehog. He pushed himself a little harder and started to reach out for Sonic's arm closest to him.

Again Sonic stopped, halting immediately without skidding in the least; and most likely taking Shadow off guard again. Luckily he didn't leave him flying in the air and this time it appeared he wasn't going to run the other way and continue the cat and mouse game. As fun as it was running from Shadow, he was curious to see what he wanted; and he feared he'd give up and just leave if he continued his childish antics for much longer.

"Oi, you want something?" He grinned as though he didn't realize it before. A hand casually placed on his lithe hip as he cocked his head to the side, looking mildly interested, and intently into his angry eyes.

Shadow shuffled to a stop, baring his teeth as he turned back to face the other. "Enough with the games." His chest heaved as he stepped back over to where Sonic stood. Just the grin on Sonic's face made Shadow angrier. How did the faker find humor in being such an ass?

Shadow paused, looking to the side distractedly before meeting Sonic's eyes again. He really hated having to ask for help, but this was the easiest way. "I don't suppose you've been keeping up with where the Doctor's moved his base lately?" His eyes trailed automatically to the hand on Sonic's hip, then up again. He didn't trust the other to stay still for very long at a time, and he was already short on patience.

Sonic looked at him funny. He was definitely interested in what he had to say but now he was rather suspicious as to why he'd ask. It seemed rather random and for him to chase him down for that was a little surprising. He just wasn't expecting it.

He leaned in, pursing his lips together in consideration. Before he'd give him the answers he wanted, he first had some questions of his own. "Mm? Why do you ask?"

The look of anger faded to one of surprise mixed with guilt. It was none of Sonic's business, but he should have known that he would be interrogated right back. He pressed his lips into a half-hearted frown, creasing his brow. "Nevermind all that. It doesn't matter. Just answer the question." Ah, and he just knew that would raise suspicions. How could he possibly admit to the other that he had lost the Master Emerald so quickly? Perhaps it was the fact that Eggman knew of no present Guardian that it was targeted immediately, but it was still an embarrassment for the one dubbed as the Ultimate Life Form.

Sonic leaned back, giving him a skeptical look. Did he really think that would work? "Nah." He looked the other way stubbornly but eyed him from the corner of his eyes. This had definitely built his suspicions and he could only guess as to what Shadow would want from the cretin; but he'd have to find him on his own if he didn't ease his curiosity. He should be fully expecting this.

"I suppose if that doesn't matter, neither does my answer."

"Just--!" Shadow's glare quickly returned. "Why do you have to know?" He had to think of an excuse, and fast. Perhaps Sonic wasn't sure of his intentions and alignment. Maybe just a little reassurance would help his cause. "If you think I'm going there to befriend Eggman, don't get your hopes up. I have my reasons." He tensed, folding his arms over his chest, white tuft peeking through the black limbs. He really didn't have time to do this, but the confession seemed so far away from ever becoming reality.

Sonic smirked confidently with a witty retort already handy. "Why do you have to know?" He turned his head to stare at him again, unhindered by looking through the corners of his eyes. His arms crossed over his chest to mimic Shadow's pose, ready and capable of being just as stubborn as he was; fueled by the never ending cocky attitude, and punkish childishness that aided him in every ordeal he's had to face.

"You have your reasons, I have mine." He took a breath, cocking his head again expectantly. "So, what's up?"

Shadow noted the other's change in stance and let his arms fall to his side pointedly, demonstrating his dislike of the other's mimickery. "Look here, faker. I don't need to waste time on you! Do you know or not?" He growled, realizing that this was going nowhere fast. He jerked his head to look to the side, scowling bitterly as he glared over nothing in particular. His posture was arrogant, defiant, despite his surrender. "Fine. The Emerald's gone."

Sonic continued to wait expectantly as though he already foresaw his defeat. He looked reasonably surprised when Shadow finally spoke up, leaving Sonic gawking, and blinking dumbly at him. It took him but a second to regain his usual composure that mocked the black hedgehog during his crisis. He couldn't believe Shadow lost it already. But he supposed he had been a pretty good distraction. "Ohh, you're in trouuuble!"

He gave a reassuring grin, letting his arms drop to his sides. It seemed fairly obvious that Eggman would have been the culprit seeing as how he tried taking it not too long ago. "I sense an adventure! It's about time Eggman did something." He turned from him, walking towards the edge of the building as though he was coming with him. And he was.

"I'm still not here for your amusement, you know." He shot Sonic a warning look. "So I take it you know where to find him --Wait." Shadow paused, scrutinizing the other disgustedly. "You don't think this is an open invitation, do you?" He did not want the hedgehog tagging along, playing his little games and making his little smartassed remarks. That was out of the question. The last thing he needed was another round of being distracted, especially since he couldn't use a Chaos Emerald. It was going to be all Shadow from here on out until he got his mind on the same level as the Master Emerald, and that alone was unsettling.

"Neh, is there a problem?" Sonic grinned knowingly, having a feeling the other might not be too thrilled. Regardless, he was going to impose his company and go whether he liked it or not. Things have been far too boring around here lately - aside from the antics him and Shadow have been involved in. Well, without the black hedgehog around, who would he have to pester then?

"You need me, Shadow. I gotta show ya where Eggman's base is. Wouldn't want you getting lost. Besides..." Sonic turned around, pulling out his shining blue emerald. Where? Maybe from behind one of those quills. "I'm the only one that can use a Chaos Emerald and it'll be a lot easier to accomplish this with 'yours truly' around."

Need? It was laughable, at best. "I don't need anyone. Stop wasting my time." Shadow placed a hand on his hip, parting his lips slightly as he glared. If Sonic would just tell him where the base was, already, Shadow would have been long gone. He would have probably even been there by now. He couldn't stand the way the lookalike just forced himself on him, intruding his space and taking his lack of patience lightly.

His muzzle twitched a bit as he reconsidered at least letting the hedgehog lead the way. "Look, what if I just follow you there? You do know where we're going, right? Then you can mosey on to whatever you need to do while I get it back."

"Are you kidding?" Sonic stifled a laugh, one of real amusement. "If I'm not there, you might lose the Master Emerald again! Nope, I better stay with you, just to be sure it gets back safely." Without giving him a chance to respond, he leaped down from the building, doing a small free fall to the ground and landing neatly in a kneeling position on the side walk. One knee against the concrete, the other bent. He stood up and took off in a reasonable pace, one Shadow should easily match, and catch up to him. He didn't stand around and wait for him to yell at him; at least this way they were making some progress.

"Hey!" Sonic didn't take hints too well, not in Shadow's opinion. Still the other was treating him like he was some incompetent little toddler, and Shadow was most definitely not incapable of handling his own dealings. Taking offense easily at practically everything the hedgehog dished out to him, Shadow took chase, growling bitterly against the air resistance. He touched ground soon after the other, breaking immediately into long, purposeful strides as he kept close. "Will you stop treating this like a playdate, hedgehog? You're pissing me off." The shoes flared brightly as he kicked harder to line himself up with his rival.

Sonic continued to run towards their destination, apparently the only one knowing where that was. Luckily - or unfortunately - for Shadow. He was going to stick with him as long as possible although he'd most likely give him some space to get the Master Emerald himself while he played with the security at Eggman's base.

"Aw, am I?" He looked over, giving him a toothy, almost raunchy smile. "I'll be sure to make it up to ya later." He winked and picked up his speed, blasting forth in a blur of blue before the black hedgehog could respond to such witty perversion. If Sonic was trying to get on his bad side, he was doing an amazingly good job of it. Saying nothing, the ebony hedgehog raced after the other, intent on keeping up and keeping his ego intact. There was no way in hell he was letting Sonic get that far ahead of him. He certainly didn't want to hear about that later, either.

Narrowing his garnet eyes almost thoughtfully, he slid in smoothly behind the other. Sonic had the unfortunate habit of holding his arms out behind him, and while Shadow had almost caught him before, the other seemed to have failed to catch on to this. He came in at Sonic's right, trying to grab his attention, "Too bad I'll beat you to that opportunity, mm?" He would make it up to himself.

Without warning he veered back around to his left, snagging Sonic's arm and braking a bit, then let go to avoid losing his own balance as he began to pick up the pace again.

Sonic arched a brow, seemingly undaunted by his little remark. "So you're going to jack o--" Before he could finish his inappropriate response, he felt a hand on his other arm as Shadow slyly moved around to his other side. A sweatdrop instantly formed alongside his head as his eyes widened and he started to stumble, forced back behind him while the black hedgehog sped ahead.

He bristled, but instantly got over it. Luckily he had managed to keep his balance enough to where he didn't go crashing into the asphalt. Just what did Shadow think he was doing? Like he knew the way and yet he tried to take the lead. Well, if that's what he wanted, he supposed he could oblige.

Without warning, Sonic used a homing attack to help catch up to the striped hedgehog, something that also allowed him to make a direct hit on Shadow. Had he attacked him? Not quite. But Sonic latched himself like a leach onto his back and forced Shadow to carry him.

"Sorry, I seemed to have lost it a little back there. Do you know where you're going? If you wanted to lead, you could have said so. But I think you're going to get us lost."

Shadow's eyes shot wide open. "What the - -?" That was completely unexpected, and he wasn't sure what was going through the other's mind. Was he really that insane? Opting to ignore Sonic's comments, Shadow slowed quickly, reaching over his shoulders and pushing back whatever he could reach. "Get the hell off me!" He stopped completely, circling a little in place as he struggled against the other. Shadow growled loudly in the process. Once he got his hands on that bastard, he'd tear him to pieces!

Well the ride was fun while it lasted. Unable to help himself, Sonic smiled broadly with an amused chuckle. He only wished he could see Shadow's face better from his view point but apparently he wasn't as amused as Sonic.

"'Ey, you're not very good at this, are ya?" After Shadow had stopped, he helped himself off of him. His feet hit the ground in a second and he was in front of him in even less time than that. He may play dumb but he knew better than to hold still for those angry hands to latch onto him.

"Come now, I haven't gained that much weight. Or maybe somebody has been slacking off. Those arms are looking a little flabby. Tsk." He raised a finger up in a shameful manner. He shook his head solemnly before speeding off, once again using the element of his unpredictability to his advantage, and leaving the black hedgehog fuming behind.

At this point Shadow was entirely certain he would rather find the Doctor's base on his own, but if he went his own way, obviously, it would be the wrong direction. He panted angrily, trying to calm his nerves, to keep from simply destroying everything surrounding him. Then again, he reminded himself, he couldn't use Chaos Blast. Why bother trying to tame himself when he could use his uncontrollable temper to his advantage? With that, he tore into a violent dash after the other, practically grinding into the earth with every stride.

Sonic. Was. So. Dead.

It's like he could feel the aura of hate beaming at him from behind and growing stronger and stronger. Sonic tensed before he even looked back over his shoulder and saw the demonic force that was Shadow speeding up on him fast. He was wondering when he might cross the line with him but here lately he was beginning to think it was impossible. Not that he was pushing his buttons purposefully to boil him up into a chaotic mess; but it was fun getting there. Now...not so much.

Sonic grinned nervously and pumped his legs faster and harder, forcing himself to run at an even greater pace than before as the surroundings became but a blur around him; and they started to leave the town towards an off road, more wooded area.

Shadow narrowed his darkly ignited eyes, as he continued to close the distance, bottomless rage fueling his desire to catch up. Perhaps Sonic was fast, but with the raw destructive power energizing his every move, Shadow was pushing himself, forcing himself to be even faster. He was so intent upon exacting his revenge that his shoes flared under the pressure, ripping through the soil and 'causing small explosions in the dirt and grass, littering the ground behind him in his wake. Sonic should know better than to continue to cross the Ultimate Life Form so many times in the small time frame of a couple of days.

In fact, Sonic suddenly felt very small and he could almost feel Shadow's silhouette looming over him with glowing red eyes. This definitely wasn't good. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes in concentration. He started to zigzag wildly in order to make himself a more difficult target for Shadow's fury to be unleashed upon. A chill ran down his spine as he managed to catch up.

He casted him a few disarming looks when he could, trying to help calm the infuriated hedgehog. "Eh, Shadow, don't do anything irrational...!"

He mimicked Sonic's movements with expert precision. Like speedy maneuvering alone would hold him at bay. Shadow scoffed, throwing himself at the wide base of a tree and pushing off with such force that the trunk actually splintered a little. Arms outstretched, the hedgehog flew forward into the direction he predicted Sonic would be swerving around to next.

Shadow took him by surprise as he caught the dreadful streak of red and black heading towards him almost too late. He had but a split second to make a decision as to how he should react and little time to defend himself at all. He decided.

He curled into a protective, spinning ball in a last second attempt to reflect his blow and hit back. Of course he didn't have nearly enough energy behind the move when he was caught so suddenly by Shadow. Instead when the two collided he was forced back, crashing through the trunk of a tree and hitting another that stopped him immediately. He instantly fell out of the position he tried to hold, leaving him on his rear and his back leaning against a trunk. He groaned and rubbed his head, dizzy, and disoriented.

Shadow had been fully anticipating the impact behind this, and he was only mildly distracted by the pain that radiated in various regions of his body. Collecting his thoughts in record time, he glanced up at the hedgehog, who was victim to his own game (well, Sonic had insisted they play cat-and-mouse, after all - what did he think would happen?) and he snatched Sonic's arm and pulled it towards himself, stopping Sonic's instinctive massaging quickly. He rolled back off his knees and crouched before the other, tugging at his arm as he leaned in, rage burning like coals in the garnet eyes. "Wanna pull another foolish stunt?" A smirk formed quickly as he scoffed in arrogance. "Try me."

Sonic flinched, reflexively trying to retrieve his arm, having little to no time to recover before Shadow was already on him, making him think he might try something else. He braced himself for it but when immediate pain didn't follow he blinked his eyes a few times and continued to try and clear his vision.

He smiled sheepishly, not so willing to throw gasoline in the fire while sitting so close to it. "Okay, okay. You made your point."

Shadow let go, giving the arm a rough jerk in the process. Uprighting himself, he took a few steps and turned his back on the other, folding his arms over his chest as he waited for Sonic to pull himself together and get off the ground.

Shadow wasn't sure why he had such an immediate change of heart. He should have bloodied the bastard up a bit at least, to make sure, to make concrete, that he really did get his point across. Already he was regretting taking Sonic's word for it. What if he just stood up and started all over again? Being a Guardian was enough stress without him having to babysit cocky lookalikes.

He narrowed his eyes as he fumed, the urge to finish what he started building inside him.

Sonic exhaled heavily once they separated and for a second there he started to worry. With regained confidence, he pushed himself up to his feet. His head hurt a little but even a crash like that wouldn't have kept him down for long.

Looking towards the black hedgehog, he casually walked past him and paused. He grinned over his shoulder, erasing the sheepish expressions he wore before to something a bit more familiar; perhaps a little redundant.

"Oi, sorry, Shadow. I'll let you have the top tonight." He winked, and started to run. There, that should relieve the tension in the air.

An almost nonexistent pink settled into Shadow's muzzle, and this time he couldn't tell what he was so flustered about, but he channeled it into anger and took off once more. Intercourse was the last thing on his mind. Or was. Now Sonic was making him think about things against his will, and it frustrated him that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep focused on the task at hand. Catching up after another burst of speed, Shadow darted around a tree, narrowing his eyes at the hedgehog. "I really do hate you. Keep that in mind."

Sonic didn't seem very phased by the remark. He just brushed it off, used to Shadow's 'shameless affection.' He smirked at him as though he knew better; a look that challenged just what the hedgehog said and felt; something told him differently, but he wouldn't think too hard on the matter. It wasn't something he seriously wanted to go in depth about, at least not right now.

Sonic suddenly put a hand to his ear, looking strained. "Wuzzat?" He spoke loudly as though the wind rushing by them was too hard to hear over, "You said I'm awesome in bed? Thanks! I know!" He flashed another obnoxious smile and pumped his legs faster, speeding past him and cutting around a tree.

"Dammit." Shadow grumbled annoyedly as he was forced to dodge said tree or he would have otherwise missed if Sonic wasn't throwing him off. "Get back here!" True, he was supposed to be following the other, but something about him taking the lead pissed him off. He still failed to see the humor in Sonic's attitude.

The blue hedgehog continued to run at his current pace, making a game out of the obstacles in his way such as trees, brush, and rocks. He'd casually dart around them before he glanced back to see Shadow angrily approaching. He ignored him aside from flashing him a friendly smile; one less cutting edge than all his others. He already had him pretty riled up, a bit more than he intended - considering moments before - so he held his tongue from saying anything else.

As much as he wanted to take out the remaining frustration on the other, Shadow knew when it was time to get down to business. He caught Sonic's casual expression and quickly shifted his focus away, holding it on the path before him for a few moments. Despite his generally controlled exterior, Sonic made him uneasy in ways he couldn't explain. Something that triggered his unstable temper.

"How much farther?" He drew close to the lookalike, glancing over with fiery crimson. Shadow was growing more anxious by the moment. If Doctor Eggman stole the Master Emerald, he must be up to something unsettling, and the faster they got it back, the better.

Green eyes were fixed straight ahead as he drew them further into the woodlands while trying to maintain an equally straight look. He cleared his throat as he considered a moment and made an educated guess. "It's going to be a while." A very vague one at that. Sonic assured him the best he could when he... might have known just as little as he did.

While unbeknown to his follower, he had no real leads himself. Not that he'd admit this; but how hard could it be to find Eggman's base?

Shadow narrowed his eyes. He was already impatient enough. Giving himself an extra burst of speed, he continued this endurance test, glimpsing back at the other, "A while?" He looked back ahead, "What kind of 'while'?"

It was all too obvious Sonic was avoiding a direct answer, but he figured that, more or less, it was another stupid game. He was tired of foolish competition. If Sonic was leading him out of the way as some kind of prank, the little bump on the other's head earlier would seem minimal.

That was a good question though. Again, Sonic acted as though he was estimating the time from a distance unknown. After a few seconds, he revealed his conclusion. "Well...we might have to camp out for a night." That should give him enough time to find Eggman, right? He just had to think like that crazy scientist. Near the mountains would be a good place to hide undercover; or what if he had a base hidden in the water? He shivered at the thought. There could be a possibility he was underground though... Hm.

Shadow braked, tearing into the ground as he came to an abrupt halt. He watched the other shoot past him, wide-eyed rage sparking on his face immediately. As fast as Sonic and Shadow were, they'd have to 'camp out'? It had to be another.. Shadow blushed in anger and embarrassment.. It was definitely another attempt on him. He forced the color away as he growled, turning his back to the direction they'd been heading. He should just go back now. Weighing his options in his mind, it certainly seemed most logical. This whole thing was a joke and a waste of his precious time.

Perhaps camping out was a longer time than Sonic should have predicted but the thought of what could proceed in that night life was awfully tempting. Besides, he honestly wasn't sure what he was doing here. But what other excuse did he have to take on Eggman — or tag around Shadow, for that matter? The black hedgehog would have left him long ago and he'd much rather do the running than the chasing.

Regardless, Sonic screeched to a halt the second he realized Shadow wasn't following. Dust flew and he raced through the cloud back to him. He stopped next to him and looked over his features, lips pursed in apparent confusion. "Oi, why'd you stop?"

"You're lying to me. Why should I follow?" He slowly brought his gaze to meet Sonic's, fire sparking behind the crimson pools. It was hard for him to keep the eye contact, he felt Sonic was only distracting him again, but he searched bitterly in the emerald depths for any sign of the truth. He wanted to know just how big of a fool he'd been taken for. Besides, if he looked away now, he'd appear to be intimidated, and that was not something he was willing to allow.

This was a little nerve racking but Sonic posed casually with his hand on his hip, looking at Shadow with his usual exaggerated display of cocky confidence. "Why would I lie?" He arched a brow, pretending to look maybe a little offended. "I want to stop Eggman too." Doesn't he always? Such little trust Shadow held for him! ...Not that he could really blame him this time.

"Come on, you're wasting our time. This is why it's going to take so long. You keep holding us back." He nodded affirmatively with a knowing look despite the irrational blame he turned back on him.

Shadow stared coldly before redirecting his glare to the space before him. "Pff. I'm not sticking around for this." With that, he began walking calmly back. Sure, with the time wasted, he really should break into a fast pace, but he wanted to firmly set the impression that he was completely in charge here. Dashing off after such would show perhaps panic or anxiety, which were two things that seemed to encourage Sonic's playful nature. Not to mention that every time one ran around the other, it turned into some damned contest, and Shadow had to avoid getting drawn into the vicious cycle at all costs. Maybe once he got out of Sonic's range he'd pick up the pace.

After just two steps away from him, Blue was standing directly in front of him, pursing his lips in mild frustration. "So that's it? You're just going to abandon the Master Emerald? Every second you waste, who knows what Eggman could be doing!" He faked a shudder at the thought. Casually, stepping next to him, he put his arm around his shoulders and started to turn him back around. "You don't have to thank me from taking time out from my day to help you but let's not make that all in vain, eh?"

Shadow's eyes opened in shock when he first suggested that he was wasting time. As he was forced to turn, he broke free of the grasp, pushing Sonic squarely in the chest. "I'm wasting your time? Is that what you're saying?" He stepped in towards the other, pointing a gloved finger close to the hedghog's nose. The Guardian was well aware that the lookalike didn't feel his time was being wasted. This was his own game, but now that he was losing the other player, he was getting desperate. "If anything, you're wasting my time. Don't you think I understand the situation at hand?" It was ridiculous for him to even pretend Shadow was that dense. "I know what you're up to, faker, and I'm not going to stand for it. Either tell me where the base is, or I'm leaving."

Sonic frowned, giving him some space as his arms crossed, trying to make up for his lost composure. He eyed the other without a hint of emotion of whether or not he had been lying, or he was worried at all right now.

"Alright." He said simply before uncrossing his arms to point the way they were running. "It's that way."

Shadow shook his head in disbelief. Did Sonic really think he was buying that? He wasn't going to let Sonic drag him around until he got tired, then who knows what would happen? Knowing the luck he's had lately, an army of robots or aliens or zombie chao would show up. Either way, whether that happened or not, he couldn't go along with a simple, 'that way.' He folded his arms, turning his back to the other and finishing the gesture of disagreement. "I want specifics, and since you still fail to comply with my simple request, I refuse to go any further." Shadow didn't get it. Why did everyone think he was so damned gullible?

He hmphed at Shadow's rudeness, not willing to humor his pouty, spoiled nature. Even if he had reason to, he still wasn't so pleased the striped hedgehog was ruining his previous plans. Well, he supposed he'd just have to change them then. "Fine, Shadow." Sonic walked merrily around him to stand in front of him again, making sure he caught his nonchalant expression. "I tried to help you after you so carelessly lost the Master Emerald, but if you're not willing to go after it, I guess I'll just have to go myself. Someone has to stop Eggman." He turned his back on him this time, taking a few steps in the way they had been running before. You could say Sonic was bluffing but even if Shadow didn't give in to his wishes, he planned on looking for Eggman's base regardless.

Shadow scowled, tensing as the other pranced around him so arrogantly. He tore his gaze away, glaring off to the side before something clicked in his mind. Two could play at this game, and he had already caught on to the rules. He quickly turned his face away from Sonic to hide his expression. "You're right. And I just remembered where the Doctor's base is. I came across it last week." He scoffed, half in amusement. "Of course that's what that structure was." He smirked, taking off in yet another direction.

Sonic's eyes nearly bugged out, but with his back facing him, luckily Shadow couldn't see his expression right now. Not that he was looking to begin with. The hedgehog couldn't say whether or not Shadow was saying this to bluff too but when he turned around he was gone. He bit his bottom lip indecisively, wondering whether or not to go after him. What if he was lying? ...But what if he wasn't? He didn't want to roam around for hours in the wrong way nor did he want to go home.

His mind struggled to figure out what structure could possibly be the hint to Eggman's base that Shadow might've been talking about. He didn't know, and the longer he waited, the further Shadow would be away. Sucking in a deep breath, he pondered an excuse to stop him as he ran off in Shadow's direction; but wondered how long he might be able to go unnoticed first.

Shadow's smirk grew into a dark grin. If Sonic was telling the truth, he had blown his opportunity, but at this point, that was something he was willing to risk. Sonic was acting very suspicious, and if Shadow was right, if Sonic had no clue where they were headed, the other would be behind him any moment. The thought of one-upping the faker made him take even faster strides. He couldn't look even a bit uncertain now, not on the chance that he was being followed. He was tempted to glance over his shoulder to see, but he pushed on. Soon. It would be soon now.


	2. Surprise!

Sonic cursed under his breath as he caught sight of Shadow's striped quills. He held quite some distance between them, having no clue what to say if he did speed up and stop him. He knew he'd notice him following too if he kept this up for very long. At this point, he was screwed no matter what he did, or so he thought. Curse Shadow; why did he have to make things so difficult? Unable to make up his mind, the blue blur continued to dart around trees and watch the conniving hedgehog in front of him.

Shadow ducked underneath a low branch and steered left slightly, taking a quick glance behind him from his temporarily hidden position. It wasn't as good an opportunity as he thought, and the ebony hedgehog frowned, having not seen the other. He started to wonder if his plan was coming to fruition or not, and began to slow just a little at the thought that he might, indeed, be wasting his own time. "Damn." He furrowed his brow, 'skating' even slower. Had his luck really just run out on him completely? Shadow wondered if Sonic already headed back to Eggman's real base, but he pressed on... there was still a chance, but he honestly expected the bastard to catch up to him by now.

Sonic squinted his eyes, making sure that speck he was following didn't disappear on him or turn into something else. He didn't notice Shadow looking back at all but he did notice him slowing down. That made inner alarms go off as paranoia struck him. Should he blast up there and explain if his cover was blown? Was that why Shadow was slowing down? ...But why would he? In fact, you'd think if the black hedgehog knew he had been lying to him, he'd be a lot more upset than he was to begin with. If his cover was blown, then he'd probably race back to Sonic, say something nasty or assault him, and then go on ahead. So why was he slowing down? What was he up to? The blue hedgehog tried to keep himself concealed behind trees, constantly running behind them and jumping towards another to make sure Shadow stayed in his sights.

The black hedgehog finally came to a complete halt, holding his head low as he pondered where to go from here. Should he turn around? No.. Sonic was sure to be gone by now, and there was really no point. The idea that he was left alone made him feel a little off, and the hedgehog bit his lip, weighing out the options of going left, right, forward, or caving and heading back. He glanced around, surveying the area. To be honest, no one thing sounded better than the other, and he was so far away from where the two had last conversed, that he saw little chance of the lookalike being there, even if he had given Shadow the opportunity to return. He knew that the basic direction Sonic was headed in was off to the left a little, and it seemed like a pretty good idea to make his way around towards where Sonic claimed the base was.

Sonic pressed his quills against a large trunk of a tree. His heart was pounding heavily against his chest, part of him concerned the hedgehog knew he was stalking him, and was about to confront him. As he peeked out from around the tree, however, he began to grow a bit more relaxed and a grin gradually grew on his face. Shadow had been bluffing. This just reignited his confidence when he started to look off in the direction originally staked out for them. Now Sonic just had to come up with the perfectly obnoxious thing to say once he started heading back and approach him. He wouldn't let him live this one down.

Shadow flicked his ears annoyedly as he started in the chosen direction. Without knowing, he picked up speed quicker than before, a look of utter determination on his face. Shadow was pretty disgusted with himself and his childish display, and he had thrown away how much time? Put how much more distance between himself and his goal? For what? He shook his head. He was really being no better than that blue bastard, and he was embarrassed before himself more than anything.

What really got to him was that Sonic had been telling the truth. He really knew where he was going. Not that Shadow would openly admit that he believed that now, but he did admit to himself how foolish he was for being so cynical. Did Sonic not, after all, stand up for him this morning? No, Shadow frowned and narrowed his eyes. No.. that was him showing off just like Rouge. To Show just how much more knowledgeable he was about this planet and the proper way of living. Because Shadow didn't comprehend things like currency, Sonic was just as amused at his position as that damned bat. Why should he feel guilt at all for his behavior? Sonic had given him every reason to display his lack of faith.

Still.. this time it was him that came out on the bottom of things. He had to find the Emerald.

Sonic shot off after him and this time made an effort to close the gap between them. It'd take some time considering how fast the other was running. He must be intending to catch up to him and the hedgehog was relieved to think he almost fell for Shadow's sneakiness but didn't. He was rather surprised; he's never pulled something on his level before. That was fine though, because in the end, he still won.

Sonic decided to run off to the side, trying to do a big circle to meet Stripes in the front. He wanted to act as though he had been waiting on him to not make things too suspicious.

Shadow leaned into the wind, pushing even harder, despite how much his body longed for a break - not just those short breaks he kept allowing himself, but a real breather. Instead of giving in to his screaming lungs, he forced himself to go even faster, thoughts of what could be happening to the Master Emerald starting to creep into the back of his mind. It didn't help any that he had been a jerk to Sonic, but he justified his treatment with further reminders of how the other had treated him. Besides, while he was wasting all his thoughts on unimportant issues, he could be concentrating on going faster. Shadow had yet to realize just how fast he was already going, and he only narrowly avoided making impact with a couple of trees in the process. As the plant life grew more sparse, he realized he was getting close to where the other had been, and he only had to circle back to the left again to make it back.

That was something he wasn't so sure he was ready to do. After all, could he just so easily admit defeat if Sonic was still there? He flattened his ears against the air resistance and made the turn, deciding that he could just avoid the subject, lie, or simply beat the crap out of the hedgehog if he started. Still, what if he wasn't there? Shadow felt a little worried that he would have to keep going blindly to catch up, and no matter how he looked at it, he was in a bad situation.

'Did he have to run so fast?' Sonic put all he had behind his legs in order to match Shadow's speed and soar ahead of him. He came closer to hitting more trees than he did by the time he reached his destination. Luckily Shadow didn't know this was a race - but he certainly acted like this was one!

As the black hedgehog came up to the spot he had left Sonic, his hopes were met as his unwanted friend - and more - stood there, patting his foot and looking expecting. He did his very best to keep his breathing under control as his chest strained to pant, his heart thumping dramatically in his ears. As he eyed the speed demon approaching in a fraction of a second, his arms crossed over his chest, standing directly in his path. He grinned, having barely made it.

Shadow made to stop, but no matter how hard his jets flared, he kept going. His eyes widened in surprise as he tried to lean enough off of them to force them to cut off, and as they obliged, his heels slammed into the ground. He finally came to a complete halt inches from Sonic. He blinked, having no clue how fast he was moving before, then erased the shock and replaced it with an equally impatient glare.

He didn't like that look on the other's face one bit.

Panting, Shadow erected himself, taking a couple of steps back cautiously, as if he expected the faker to lash out concerning their closeness. His shoulders heaved with every breath, and his ears slowly, weakly, began to upright themselves. He tensed and relaxed his calf muscles to avoid any cramps from the abrupt halt, ignoring how much his body was screaming at him; and watched the other, knowing he was going to hear some damned remark any second.

"Oi, Shadow. What's wrong? Were you hallucinating before? Suddenly remembered you didn't know where Eggman's base was? Come to beg for my forgiveness and follow me in the right direction? Well, I'm listening." His arms uncrossed and he made a motion with one of his hands for him to speak up "Go on."

Shadow growled. Something was still off, his intuition warned him, but he dismissed it.. at least for the moment. "Shut up," he barked between heavy breaths. "This has taken too much time already." Shadow lowered his head threateningly, in the event Sonic should continue as he closed the distance once more between them. Keeping his fiery eyes focused on the emerald depths, he latched his hand around Sonic's forearm, baring his teeth in a venomous scowl. He looked at the faker expectantly. "Chaos Control." It was not a command to the Emeralds, but to Sonic.

Blue flinched as he grabbed him but masked an uncomfortable expression by maintaining his previous one that immediately collapsed into something unexpected. He stared, eyes widening a little, giving him a most dumbfounded look. Somehow he didn't expect him to suggest that. His mind was blank for a moment as the world paused around him and he continued to register his comment nice and slow.

"What?" He grunted, blinking a few times to help moisten drying eyes, while appearing as though he hadn't paid attention. Swallowing, he thought about what to say next while stalling. He quite obviously couldn't do Chaos Control when he wasn't yet certain of their destination whereabouts.

Without giving him a chance to respond, Sonic came up with the perfect excuse. "Ah, I can't." He uttered calmly as he regained his composure. "Eggman's base is just too far away, you see."

Again, Shadow suspected a loophole in Sonic's tale. He let go in an almost nonchalant manner, a pout slightly obvious on his muzzle as he turned away in thought. How much farther was he willing to go with Sonic on trust alone? Already he'd blown it once, and he didn't know just what was missing. He frowned, concentration etched into his brow as he turned back around. "Is this going to take much longer than an hour?" He knew the answer before he even finished the question, but he focused his crimson intently on the other, hoping it was only a small distance away, that Sonic had exaggerated before.

He was unbelievably relieved that Shadow didn't question him anymore than that. He didn't let that show; he tried to remain as cool and collected as ever. As the black hedgehog turned back towards him with another inquiry, of course, Sonic couldn't answer with full certainty...

"Well, if you keep us standing around like this, then definitely." He assured with an equally reassuring grin. He turned towards the way he had been leading them, hands rising to clasp on his hips. "Just follow me and relax." He eyed him over his shoulder. "We'll get the Master Emerald back in no time. You'll see."

Shadow said nothing more. He was tempted to, but he couldn't think of anything witty, but not too witty to get his point across without lingering even longer. Keeping his gaze pointedly away from the other, the hedgehog stepped forward, lining up alongside his rival as if at the starting line for an unspoken race. He folded his arms as his breathing evened out, and he was secretly grateful for the small break their bickering allotted his aching legs. Already, he was prepared to take off again. But, however unfortunate, he had to let Sonic take the lead. Again.

Sonic took another second to himself, still trying to catch his own breath that he was trying to conceal before. His heart was still pounding pretty fast but he didn't need to slow down for very much longer. As Shadow got ready to follow him, the hedgehog sped off with his arms behind him, kicking up dirt as he went. Once again he set an unknown course for the two, hoping by some lucky chance he'd be able to pin-point where Eggman has hidden himself this time.

The striped hedgehog kicked off right behind him, smoothly transitioning from a sprint into using the jet shoes as he kept close to the other. He frowned, taking a glimpse across to the blue lookalike as he piped back up. "Why are you so determined to accompany me?" His eyes returned to the wooded area before him to make sure he wasn't about to collide with anything. "Hmph. You could just tell me how to get there, and we could go our separate ways." He didn't need Sonic to hold his hand and walk him through this. Shadow could certainly handle himself.

Sonic smiled at him, seemingly friendly as ever, but left with that sharp edge attitude and cocky smirk that always rubbed one the wrong way. Did he always intend for that to happen? Maybe. Especially in Shadow's presence; annoying the other was amusing but at the same time getting along with him to some point was essential for whatever kind of relationship they were in. Surely they wouldn't ignore the details forever, would they? Would Shadow?

"What would be the fun in that?"

"Who said it was supposed to be fun?" he snapped the moment Sonic finished his question. Was Sonic seriously that immature? He growled as he started up again, "Everything's just a game to you, isn't it?" He honestly questioned that bastard's sanity. If Sonic could take anything seriously, Shadow would probably be at a loss of what to think. That in itself was pathetic. He almost rolled his eyes at memories of Sonic being a complete moron. Almost.

Still not phased by Shadow's determination of being a downer, Sonic casually responded, not giving a second thought to his question. "Nah." He swerved around a tree before gracefully bounding back to his straight path near Shadow. He continued to kick up rock and dust behind him as the forest air hit his face and heightened his mood despite his answer.

Although it didn't seem like it, he could be serious when the situation really called for it. What would worrying do now? There was no point in being serious at the moment and make this time more miserable than it may turn into later. One should make the most out of everything and Sonic wasn't going to let his mood be spoiled when he could so easily turn this into something more exciting and adventurous - at least in his mind. He'd much rather have an adventure than stay behind and let Shadow have all the fun despite the fact the black hedgehog was too dull to realize it. He wouldn't know fun if it punched him in the face!

Perhaps he was a little unlikely to understand fun as Sonic knew it, however.. he had a mission to do. He had a responsibility. As the ebony hedgehog kept pace with the other, taking another glance at him, he realized it was hoping for too much to think Sonic would ever get it. He was far too immature. Shadow narrowly missed some brush and decided to pay more attention. Letting his mind wander was no good idea right now, as he already had too much stress to deal with.

"So what do you think Eggman is using the Master Emerald for?" Sonic wondered; it could be for anything. He didn't care to discuss it all that much but decided to make small talk in order to bring Shadow a little further out of his shell. Whatever Eggman was scheming, he was quite sure of himself he'd be able to stop it - despite the fact he didn't even know where him or the Master Emerald was.

"That is inconsequential." Well... maybe not. Shadow hoped so. "I am going to remove it from his possession immediately and leave." Why did Sonic even care? Shadow assumed it was an attempt at getting him to hold conversation, and decided it was best to keep his answers more limited should the hedgehog ask anything further. He pressed on instead, lining up his strides evenly as he made the best out of every glide. No looks were spared for the other.

"What's your favorite color?" Shadow was right, what did it matter what Eggman's plans were? However, knowing which color Shadow was fonder of was...not that important either. In fact a ridiculously random question that the hedgehog had an impulse of curiosity to ask. He was more intent on holding conversation than the other may realize and maybe annoy him a little in the process.

"I don't know..." Shadow moved in closer, just long enough for the other to see his twisted, maniacal grin. "Depends on what the resulting combination is when I crush your skull." With that, he snorted, bending his lips into a threatening frown as he backed away once more, swinging his arms as he aimed to go faster, preferably forcing the other to catch up since he was the one that should be in the lead.

Sonic blinked, dumbfounded, at Shadow's response. He didn't expect that at all. He gave him an awkward smile, unsure how to react. There was at least one witty retort floating around in his head that went ignored. Instead he decided to retaliate by once again ending Shadow's lead and suddenly taking a sharp left. He shot off in this new direction that led a dust trail to him, giving Shadow time to respond and follow, but he pumped his legs harder in order to force strain on the other's muscles.

Shadow cursed, making use of a certain four letter word before veering left, the fact that he was not touching the earth directly causing him to swing a bit wider than the blue hedgehog. "Damn you," he breathed to himself, but if they had to go left, then it was probably his own fault for speeding up ahead. He found himself unable to come up with some remark, since he made the assumption that he had himself to blame, and indeed did strain himself to catch up.

Just when the striped hedgehog was about to catch up to him, Sonic took another turn, right, forcing them to go straight again. He smirked against the wind as Shadow undoubtedly followed, forced to go wherever he chose. Whether the other wanted to acknowledge it or not, Sonic had the power of control, and he had to follow him wherever he went. That was a fun idea to roll around in his head and he pondered the thought of zigzagging around like a maniac.

"What the--" Shadow furrowed his brow suspiciously as Sonic turned again, and he cut a right, baring his sharp teeth in a silent and unseen warning. He sped after, regardless, kicking up his boosters a bit with the force from his strides. What was he doing? Obviously there was no threat around. Shadow guessed he was just getting revenge for Shadow shooting off ahead before, and now that they were going back in the 'right direction' that would be the end to the other's little game. He didn't put too much faith in that concept, but he could only hope Sonic wasn't entirely off his rocker.

Fortunately it seemed he was unable to continue anymore of his childish antics due to a rather rude interruption. Ears rose and eyes widened in a dumbfounded expression as he seemed to have triggered off motion detectors and a trap. The ground quivered beneath his feet as he came to a sliding halt, motion sensors camouflaged into the scenery around him. Along with a couple of other interesting things. Shadow rose a brow and came to a stop behind him, twisting at the last second to brake with his right foot as he glanced down. Instinctively and immediately, he looked up to take in his surroundings, ears twitching at the noises surrounding the pair.

A row of trees on both sides of them whirred mechanically and their branches started to cock and load. Sonic was smiling. "Man, am I lucky." A rather odd thing to say when he wasn't being sarcastic; but he was apparently close to a certain mad scientist and all his running around hadn't been in vain. He was spared an inevitable throttling from Shadow if he hadn't found the base too.

Sure enough, Eggman's head icon was carved into the trunks of those trees that only seemed evident after their branches shot from those bodies like spears at the intruding hedgehogs. Obviously some sort of security system. Of course, this was a problem to explain to Shadow later in its self, but he'd think of something. Right now, Sonic put his quick-thinking and fast legs to the test, lunging up into the air to avoid being impaled.

Shadow's brow furrowed sharply as he kicked off to the left, lips curving into a concentrated scowl. He dodged easily, wondering why Sonic didn't warn him.

Then again, the hedgehog had a ridiculous sense of humor, one that rivaled Shadow's in darkness. Still, how he managed to slip by the others without anyone noticing this, his satisfaction and need for anything dangerous, the black hedgehog had no clue. He knew one thing, though, and it was that Sonic should have given him some kind of warning.

He risked a glimpse at the other, throwing a dirty look. He'd love to give Sonic a good beating about now.

After doing a showy, aerial flip in the air, previously mentioned hedgehog landed neatly on his feet with his arms crossed coolly. He exchanged a quick, smug, look with Shadow to ensure he saw just how awesome and graceful he is. He knew better than to stay still for long though, and Sonic took off running in their previous direction, but soon found himself grinding to a stop yet again. He blinked as roots came out of the ground like vines and giant oak trees and pines lifted from the forest floor, ultimately blocking his path. But this was different. There was no mechanical whirring or anything of the sort. The trees seemed... alive?


	3. Enter Eggman

Shadow would have rolled his eyes at the cocky blue hedgehog given the opportunity, but the Guardian seemed preoccupied with the current situation. He did, however, spare a bitter scoff as he followed suit, coming to a halt directly beside Sonic. Shock played onto his features, then Shadow's eyes darkened with suspicion and he glanced about, unsure how to handle this new problem that arose.

"This way." He shot to the right, narrowly missing Sonic as he decided to go around the new threat. How far could a tree move? Really. Blue was calculating his own plan of action before he ended up following him around the trees lined up before them. Their bodies' movements were slow but their roots were lightening fast.

As he pursued after Shadow, dirt flung up between him and the striped hedgehog. As he leaped to the far left to avoid running into whatever was getting in his way, a thick root sprung from the ground, just behind one of Shadow's legs. Like a serpent, and in a flash of brown, the root coiled tightly around his right ankle before offering to hoist him in the air. Shadow's eyes widened quickly as he realized just what was going on. A broken gasp barely escaped his lips as he cursed himself for thinking that it would be so easy, then decided to go ahead and say what he had to say, "Shit!"

As the world turned on its end before his eyes, he kicked at the damned thing, unable to do anything until he regained his composure. When the initial effect of the G-force settled, Shadow tensed, curling his upper body towards the offending plant life. He attempted to pry it away from him, then, finding the task proved more difficult than it should have, he searched around for the other.

Oh, he was SO not going to ask for help. This was ridiculous. He quickly gave up on that idea, and went back to struggling against it. But the blue hedgehog had already spotted his predicament; and gaped at the visual of the root hoisting Shadow in the air, swinging him back and forth like it was unsure of what more to do with him. Certainly whatever it decided wouldn't be good. Luckily it didn't have the chance to do further damage. Whether Shadow wanted his help or not, Sonic's instincts kicked in. He rocketed from the ground and curled himself into a ball, one that surged forward and spun its way through the offending root holding onto him. He cut it into, his quills more than a match for it, before landing on the ground and feeling triumphant.

He turned around to see how well Shadow might have landed before his plan apparently backfired. Where he stood became a trap of root-like vines that launched from beneath the ground all around the shocked hedgehog. One wrapped around his wrist, another his other wrist. His ankles were bound and one last, four inch girth of root constricted his waist, keeping Sonic thoroughly immobile.

Shadow's landing was questionable, as he was too distracted to notice Sonic's rescue attempt until it was too late. He landed heavily on the forest floor and winced, pushing up onto his elbows. While he was ready to make a snappy remark concerning the uninvited save, he found Sonic in a similar situation and scowled. The blue hedgehog apparently didn't see this coming anymore than Shadow did, and he couldn't help but suspect the Doctor had found a use for the Master Emerald after all. And in such a short amount of time.

He let out a growl as he stood quickly, darting over to the bound hedgehog. Mimicking Sonic's moves, Shadow tore through the first of the roots, landing only momentarily on one knee before kicking off again into another homing attack. He learned from Sonic's mistake and didn't stay in one place for too long; and made it through a second vine-like restraint, ultimately freeing his arms, however long that may last.

Giant tree trunks leaned their way, seemingly closing in on them while the roots apparently aided in distraction. Sonic was ultimately freed thanks to Shadow but that didn't stop the crazed trees from trying again to wrap around one of the hedgehogs. It was going to take a lot of speed just to escape the woods and yet they still had to worry about finding Eggman and the Master Emerald. Fortunately or not Eggman came to them.

"Kuuu hoo hoo hoo!" Came a trademark laugh from behind a black maple's branches. Hovering even higher above them was Eggman in his Egg Carrier looking as smug as ever.

Sonic struggled to catch his breath as he spotted his nemesis with narrowed eyes. Eyes that became wide again as yet another root shot through the air in a whipping motion towards him. A quick leap in the air forced it to miss its target but wouldn't allow either hedgehog to rest on their feet for very long.

"Like my new minions?" Came Eggman's sinister voice, "I found a much better way than robotizing, quicker, and more convenient." Not to mention before, he wouldn't have been able to give the power to something that normally stood still.

At the sound of a familiar voice ringing in his alert ears, Shadow spun around to see the newcomer, something flaring behind the crimson orbs. Shadow didn't have time for this. How absolutely ridiculous was this new scheme? Mutant trees? Peh, well, Shadow had things to do, and getting the Emerald back was one of them. He glided determinedly towards Eggman, eyes narrowed darkly.

Right into an intricate spider web of dirt and more persistently annoying trees that made it a point to get in Shadow's way from the left, right, above and under the ground. They came at him in all directions except from behind. It apparently amused Eggman because he laughed again. "If you think this is a problem, you've not seen anything yet." Who he was talking to wasn't exactly known as Sonic narrowly avoided a branch being swung his way, pacing himself instead of trying to get at the doctor as quickly as Shadow attempted.

Suddenly, from behind the blasted scientist was what the two of them had been looking for all along. The Master Emerald seemed to be attached on a platform connected to a machine with a trunk body and vines like that of a weeping willow's hanging over it. A robotic tree, perhaps? But its purposes wasn't to lash out wildly at the two hedgehogs. It appeared to be sapping the Master Emerald's energy and using its powers to harvest Eggman's latest scheme.

"Now you're going to get it. Take this, you pesky hedgehog!" This time his sights were on Shadow. As tempted as he was to zap Sonic first, what would be the fun in that? No, he wanted him to see just how awesome this plan was.

Eggman pointed at his target as the tree behind him lit up brilliantly with a vibrant white light.

Apparently he might have been thinking of this plan for a while now because it wasn't exactly something that could be accomplished in just a day or so. Especially since he hasn't had the Master Emerald that long. The schematics and complications of creating such a mechanism wouldn't have taken too much time for his talented mind to discover, however. Once it had the right power source, anything was possible. And a little hypnosis and mind control was a simple idea to bring into fruition.

The ebony hedgehog narrowly avoided running head-on into the roots and plant life, and jumped back instinctively as they came from below. He furrowed his brow in concentration as he watched the Doctor inflate his own ego. Biting his tongue to hold back any comments that would waste more time, he looked back at Sonic, just to see where he stood on all of this. When he heard Eggman speaking again, he turned back to face him, ready to fight off the trees some more if need be.

However, he wasn't expecting what did happen. Shadow shielded his face and stepped back, assuming that whatever was happening couldn't be avoided at this rate, and that he would do best to protect himself from it as much as he could. Unfortunately for him, this left him right in the way of things.

"Shadow!" Sonic's eyes widened, unsure of what the intentions were of the light that engulfed the striped hedgehog, blinding him. He stood his ground for the time being as the trees around him appeared to hesitate and stop their rambunctious attacks.

The Doctor cackled menacingly as his plan began to unfold perfectly with a roaring amusement emitting from his eyes. Sonic was going to have his hands full now. That, he was sure of.

"It's nice to have you working for me again, 'ey, Shadow?" Chirped Eggman with sinister glee that left Sonic dumbfounded and confused.

Shadow relaxed, dropping his arms by his side, but he kept his head low long enough to turn around. As he faced the blue hedgehog, he raised it cockily, smirking devilishly at the one before him, but he spoke to the one out of his view. "Certainly." Unblinking and colder than before, Shadow's eyes met with Sonic's before he kicked off, heading straight towards the undoubtedly confused hedgehog.

Blue almost didn't have enough time to piece things together and figure out what was going on. His eyes nearly bugged out when the black hedgehog turned his sights on him, abandoning their goal entirely.

"W-Wait!" He barely had time to stall, a tactic that failed anyway; and his legs kicked into action. He turned and ran backwards, between two bulky trees, and began to zig-zag around roots sitting up from the ground in a blur of brilliant blue; cursing under his breath. It wasn't hard to figure out what Eggman's invention did at this point. A fact he wished they could have been more wary of before.

Shadow scoffed in amusement as he kept his pace, giving the other a bit of a lead. He watched Sonic scramble away, and couldn't help but think, that is, if it was even really his thought process at work, how sad the hedgehog seemed. He was still no match for the Ultimate Lifeform. No match for perfection.

Shadow took the next step to speed up without warning, coming in beside the other and offering a gaze that reflected his sinister intentions. He took a good strong leap to keep his speed up, and aimed a blow at the middle of the other's back with his elbow.

Sonic eyed the striped hedgehog warily as he came into view and he realized he was up to something. He tried to plan ahead but was still forced to think on his toes when Shadow lashed out. With so much on his mind, he soon realized avoiding this was impossible; at the least, he lessened the impact and jumped forward, pushed the rest of the way through the air from the collision of Shadow's elbow against the mid range of his back.

He grunted with a pained cough that was derived from the blow. His eyes nearly squeezed shut but luckily they didn't. He started to collide with a trunk of a maple before he forced his body to engage in a spin dash. He thrusted through the tree, leaving a gaping hole all the way through it before landing in a skidding halt. He landed in a kneeling fashion with his knee on the ground, an arm resting on top of his leg with his other hand balancing him on the forest floor.

Panting for breath, and doing what he could to ignore the painful jolts surging through his back, his eyes sought out the whereabouts of Eggman and the Weeping Willow with the Master Emerald in its clutches. Instead of paying more mind to Shadow, his target was the instigator of this whole mess. Fighting the black hedgehog would solve absolutely nothing.

Sonic struggled to his feet in a hurry, searching out a path through all those pesky roots; a way to climb to a high perch and leap towards his goal. That was the idea as he started into another hard run.

Never one to fight awfully fair, Shadow took a dark pleasure in his actions, and glided effortlessly in a circle. Even if the black hedgehog wasn't being manipulated, he would have found the almost flawless attack enjoyable. And being guiltless and firmly set upon his goal: take down the other at any cost, Shadow moved in for a second strike, something that resembled his old maniacal laugh from when he'd been hell-bent on destroying the humans echoing almost nonexistently as he drew near.

When Sonic took off again, he frowned, but he didn't let that hold him back. Shadow followed close behind, deciding to see what the other's plan was before making his move. Sonic seemed to be paying the hedgehog no mind, and that angered him immensely. He wanted to fight, but if Sonic was going to ignore him, it was going to be even easier than he expected.

He came in again, this time twisting his body with ease as he directed a swift kick to the same spot. As dirty game play as that seemed, it would end sooner in his favor. Especially if the blue menace wasn't going to bother defending himself, Shadow had no desire to drag this out.

Sonic jumped onto a root, digging the soles of his shoes into it as he sped across it, doing a loop from the way it was twisted over its self like a roller-coaster track. He ran towards another that would have allowed him to climb higher into the air, closer towards the Master Emerald.

Just because he was set on an idea, didn't mean he had completely forgotten about Shadow on his tail. He was well aware of the present danger, encouraging him to run faster.

"Damn it!" Sonic cursed as he looked over his shoulder and noticed the said blur of black and red launching towards him in a similar move from before. He changed direction immediately, jumping onto another vine-like root and narrowly escaping another painful blow.

"Snap out of it!" He scolded, ears laying back as he began to grow rather frustrated at this point. The trees began to shift, ruining his opportunity as he jumped back onto the ground.

He really had his hands full; and the second he landed, another nuisance became evident around his lithe waist. Hissing, Sonic rolled himself into a ball, breaking loose from the tree's appendage and shooting conveniently in the other's direction to reprimand certain behavior.

Missing his target the first time, Shadow dropped to his feet and glared bitterly at the hedgehog. He wasn't quite sure what Sonic was up to, suspecting only that he had been running from him, so when the other's window of opportunity closed off, he failed to take notice. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and kept coming at him.

He prepared for another attack, swinging his arm in front of his chest and tensing it, ready to perform what would have essentially been a backhanded punch had he not been interrupted by the sight before him. Shadow didn't have a lot of time to respond, but with the unpleasant memory and injuries still fresh from the last time Sonic pulled this move on him, he was determined to avoid it at all costs.

With no time to think, he practically jumped to the side, leaning back so fast his back snapped. Unable to remove his arm from it's position beforehand, Shadow frowned as Sonic's blurry form grazed along his forearm. He growled, anger beginning to build. That was the third injury the other had caused him as of late, and he wasn't as forgiving as perhaps he had been before.

Sonic soared past him, rolling against the ground and then up the trunk of a tall pine. He came out of his position in mid air after climbing the top, sweating and breathing a little hard. He glanced towards Shadow just to pin point his location before seeking out Eggman's monster robot.

With a deep inhale, Sonic forced his muscles to comply and his body to twist back into his previous shape. Like a saucer spinning crazily and manipulating the air in its wake, he headed for Eggman. The idea was to bang against the carrier, giving him a further boost to the machine and hopefully have the capability of plowing through it to some degree. He had no idea how tough the exterior was but it appeared he was about to find out. Shadow bared his teeth threateningly as he watched the other. The pain in his arm left quickly as his attention was drawn to him atop the tree, and he followed what he was sure was the hedgehog's line of sight. So that's what he was doing. The whole time Shadow assumed Sonic was trying to save his own skin, when in reality he was going after the Doctor. Preying on the weaker? Shadow smirked. Didn't Sonic know to take down the biggest threat first?

Eggman was looking mighty alarmed at this point. His eyes were wide and his muscles were tense as he stared at the spiny blue ball heading right towards him. For all he knew, Sonic was about to cannon his way through his head. The hedgehog's intentions, however, were a little less gruesome. It didn't matter though because unfortunately he wasn't able to carry out his scheme. When Shadow caught the blue hedgehog speeding by overhead, Shadow took the chance to do the same, directing himself at the lookalike from below.

Just like the last time, that window of opportunity shut right in his face as Shadow rocketed towards him, knocking him completely off path and higher up into the air. He didn't even see him coming but he knew who the culprit was as he came crashing down onto the forest floor, creating a hole in his wake.

Eggman sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. He narrowed his eyes towards Shadow with a bitter scowl. "Don't let him get that close again!"

Sonic groaned as he stretched out on his belly, his head swimming and the world around him spinning way too fast for his liking. Grimacing, he forced himself to move and staggered up to his feet. He rubbed his temple as he looked around for the black hedgehog before he managed to sneak up on him again. Shadow had landed neatly with his back to the small vehicle, smirking over his shoulder at the Doctor. The look Eggman offered him only fed his amusement, and he chuckled to himself, turning his focus back to his enemy once the other finished his little rant. If he was so worried about a little thing like that when he came out of it without so much as a scratch, then Shadow wasn't worried about it.

Instead, he started his walk towards Sonic, who was now stumbling up into a standing position. He walked with an apparently even temper and balance, showing no signs of wear from the battle they participated in. The curve to his lips was still there, menacing as ever. "Why don't you just give up now?" A slight pause, then, "While you're still alive, hedgehog." A threat. Calm and composed, but a threat nonetheless.

It felt good to lose your conscience.


	4. Shadow VS Sonic

(**A/N: **This does not have anything to do with the story but in case there are those interested, I have started a Sonic the Hedgehog Role Playing group. More information can be found www . MirroredMobius . webs . com... Now, enjoy the story!)

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Sonic's ears laid back in reflexive aggression that arose at the sight of Shadow heading towards him. He dusted himself off, trying to appear nonchalant. He climbed awkwardly out of the small indention in the earth, sort of ruining the cool composure he tried to ignite after such a hard fall. Regardless of how he looked, he was sure to rival Shadow's smirk with his trademark grin, never lacking in confidence no matter how dire the situation. "Give up? Me? Where would be the fun in that?"

His eyes darkened as he took a defensive stance. Having stole a few glances towards his main objective, he was given no options for the time being but to fight.

Sonic kicked off with his left foot and reared back his right arm, ready to deliver a strong blow at Shadow's face. Maybe he'd get lucky.

Shadow caught the other's movement and took a step back, eyes growing wide as he mentally felt everything slow down, including, much to Shadow's dismay, himself. The blow met with his face, causing his neck to pop violently loud.

The striped hedgehog flew backwards some, landing headfirst. He growled, immediately scrambling to his feet, and darted behind a wide tree trunk as he panted for air. Cursing himself for being too close, too cocky, Shadow smeared the fresh blood from his stinging lip, deciding just how to exact his revenge most horribly. Sonic had balls, he'd give him that.

The blue hedgehog was surprised he managed to deliver a direct hit as he was left flexing his tingling hand, wondering how many more he could land. He knew his luck wouldn't be there for him forever, however; he had to watch over his back and make sure Eggman didn't try anything sneaky too. The last thing he needed was to get zapped by that machine and end up like Shadow.

Not giving the other a chance to rest for long, Sonic ran around the tree, hoping to give him the less chance he had to recover, for the better. He skidded against the dirt as he made eye contact with him. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he kicked off with his foot again and this time directed the heel of one of his red shoes at his chest.

Shadow was caught off guard once more, and could only watch in horror as he was slammed between the tree and Sonic's powerful kick. He started to gasp before his lungs rejected the attempt, and he choked, hands finding their way to the other's ankle. He drew in a shaky breath and managed to control himself, glaring threateningly into the emerald before him. Spitting blood between the two of them, he dug his nails in through his gloves and past the blue fur as he tensed his muscles, raising Sonic's leg further as he stepped towards him. "Big mistake."

Sonic's look wavered with uncertainty. He flinched as his powerful claws began to leave marks around his ankle. A sheepish expression painted its self across his face as he countered Shadow's fury with comical relief. Sonic wasn't about to just stand there on one leg and wait for him to retaliate, however. The blue hedgehog jumped with his freed leg and twisted his body around to one side. His foot cut sharply across the air, aimed at Shadow's jaw in hopes of kicking him off.

Shadow saw this coming though, and he braced himself, holding fast to the leg within his grasp as he readied for impact. The force of the blow knocked his head to one side despite the fact that he tried to hold it in place, and red streaks painted across his vision. He recovered immediately, taking this opportunity to follow through with his plan. Shadow, now having moved far enough away from the tree, used his tense muscles and Sonic's kick to his advantage as he swung the other through the air in a sort of half turn. He let go at the right moment, which was easy considering how far he was from the base of the tree he'd used for cover, and watched the expression on the other's face.

Blue managed to twist around most uncomfortable during Shadow's act ending in unfortunate results. Tensing, he closed his eyes as he felt himself being thrown against the wide trunk. His back hit incredibly hard, cracking; but fortunately he didn't appear to break anything. That definitely didn't stop it from hurting like hell.

He fell to the ground with a grimace, inhaling and exhaling heavily as he tried to ignore the sharp pain shooting through his spine, worsening the location in where he received the impact.

"Ow..." He grunted, one eye opening while the other stayed painfully closed. His hands pressed against the soil as he attempted to push himself up, being a lot slower than he would have liked for his body to move.

Shadow stepped toward the other, giving a bitter expression. He licked at the blood stinging his lips and stopped inches from him, daring him to go at it again. If he guessed correctly, Sonic couldn't take as much of this as he could, and the only reason he came close was out of sheer stubbornness. His eyes burned with a dark glint as crimson met with emerald and he sharpened his frown. "Are you done making a fool of yourself?"

Sonic swallowed hard as he looked up at him from his position. He was almost regretting coming with him. He thought he'd be fighting Eggman or one of his lame bots but Shadow always found a way of limiting his fun. Not saying anything, Sonic had yet to give up the fight. The stupid striped hedgehog better be thanking him after all of this was over with. If he had gone alone, Eggman would have been using him for his evil bidding all this time.

Narrowing his eyes, Blue used the rest of his energy to surprise Shadow yet again. He swept his legs around quickly to knock the other's feet out from under him. Immediately after he jumped to his feet and sped off, heading back towards the Master Emerald.

The pain intensified in his back and he gritted his teeth hard, doing his best to ignore it as he set his sights on the goal. This had dragged on long enough.

Shadow was not about to leave himself open by letting his guard down so easily as before, and he stumbled back as Sonic's leg brushed his feet. He still managed to lose his balance, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and he erected himself just in time to see the other dash out from under him.

He growled, taking chase immediately. It didn't take much for him to cut alongside the other, glaring over at the hedgehog with a raging intensity. "What do you think you're going to achieve?" His ears twitched against the wind as he threatened with his pace to move into the other's path. He saw no real reason for Sonic to keep trying. This really was getting pathetic.

Sonic might have been a little upset he managed to catch up with him so fast but he didn't show it. Instead, he smirked, though a bit strained from the battle wounds he had endured. He reached back, retrieving something from his quills. "Trust me, you're going to owe me a lot after this."

In his grasp was a shiny blue emerald. He made sure Shadow saw it as he grinned again, almost smug. He wasted no more time nor waited for anymore response than an initial facial reaction. "Chaos Control."

The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes at Sonic's next movement, honestly expecting another attack, and he swerved away just a bit before he realized that this was not a violent gesture. He moved back in, and his expression didn't waver until that first gleam of blue struck his line of sight, drawing him into it.

Shadow gaped for a moment before baring his teeth and taking a sharp turn, drawing his fist back for a good blow. He swung forward, braking as the other slipped away, and stumbled a bit as he jerked his head furiously about, searching for the bastard's whereabouts.

To Eggman's horror after spotting the glistening jewel, his eyes widened as Sonic disappeared. The air got tense and he was starting to sweat again. He looked all around and glared at Shadow. "Where did he go!?" He was supposed to take care of him!

The robot behind him began to whir and shift sickly. Eggman's worrying intensified as he turned around and the thick connection cables leading from it to the Master Emerald began to spark; and the energy it gave out to manipulate the persons within its surroundings started to diminish.

The Doctor had caught Shadow's attention and he glared over quickly, grinding his teeth together as he scowled. There. He caught a glimpse of blue behind the human, flashes of Chaos energy. And he growled in frustration. That was one of the things he was supposed to protect! Although Shadow wasn't sure why, he knew he had failed. He cursed loudly, making his way towards the mess.

And he slowed, gradually coming to a halt, shock setting into his features. "What.."

"Always a weakness somewhere." Sonic mumbled to himself before he spun into a blue ball, wrecking havoc on the machine through a cooling vent just beneath its weeping branches. He went inside it as the Master Emerald began to slip and fall, landing on the ground as the robot started to go haywire. Its long tentacle-like branches began to flail as Sonic's treatment worsened its function. Eggman quickly moved himself away from his dying robot, cursing the rodents while he was at it. "Nooo! You stupid hedgehogs!"

An explosion erupted from inside the machine, making it collapse in a heap and parts and debris flying everywhere - including yours truly.

Sonic crash landed several yards from the android, hitting his head pretty hard along the way. Fortunately the Master Emerald was left unscathed through the ordeal but that didn't say much for its rescuer.

Shadow shielded himself from the blast, crossing his arms over his face and holding his head low. He blinked back against the dust and debris, wincing as some blew into the tender spot along his forearm. He hissed below his breath and looked up just in time to see a streak of blue fly past him. His eyes widened a second time and he glanced back.

His attention was anywhere but on Eggman as the socially inept Doctor rushed away from the scene. Despite Sonic's fall, Eggman was looking pretty nervous. He feared Shadow just as much - if not more - than Sonic so he was quickly cowering his way out of there in his Egg Carrier. But Shadow knew he could be dealt with later, and at the moment, he felt torn.

Shadow's first reaction was to run over to his fallen redeemer, but that was simply absurd. He had a strong idea that he'd been manipulated, but his memory was cloudy, and he recalled the other giving him a rough time - if not within the past few minutes, within the past few days. He really should go collect the Master Emerald and get out of there. That was what he set to do.

After only a couple of steps, however, Shadow's conscience fought him in a vicious and violent battle, and he came to an abrupt halt, holding his breath as he glanced over his shoulder at the other. He wasn't moving from what Shadow could tell.


	5. Let's Play Doctor

Shadow bared his teeth in a thoughtful scowl. He made his way over to the unconscious hero, nudging him gently with his foot before squatting over the figure. He gripped his shoulders and flipped him over completely onto his back. "Hey." Sonic looked a bit dusty with a few scrapes and soon-to-be bruises here and there. His face contorted into discomfort when he was moved, a small groan emitting through closed lips. He was still pretty out of it and hadn't exactly came to but a reason behind it was pretty evident on the side of his head. A nasty cut nearly tore into his temple, bleeding down alongside his face. It looked bad enough to require stitches. The landing hadn't exactly been the cause of it but it definitely didn't do any good to the rest of his body.

'Oh come on.' Shadow had to choose between carrying the Master Emerald back or hauling Sonic off? The black hedgehog grumbled, almost pouting at his dilemma. He shook his head in disgust, blinking slowly as he lifted Blue up onto his shoulder. Glancing around, he saw there was nothing easily accessible to stop the bleeding, and he immediately shot off towards home.

Kicking off against the ground with blinding speed, Shadow considered the possibility of taking Sonic to a human hospital. Would they even have the resources around here to offer him care? He knew they would try; these humans typically admired the idiot to a level that disgusted the striped hedgehog. Still, he wasn't sure how advanced their knowledge was of their kind. GUN was a possibility as well, but he knew they would want nothing more than to make Sonic their ally and have him do their bidding to repay the 'debt' that helping him out would incur.

Making his decision at the last second, he turned and headed up the stairs to his apartment, deciding he had a lot more confidence in himself. He fumbled a bit as he opened the door and slammed it shut with his heel.

He stepped slowly over to the couch, resting Sonic in an almost fetal position with his wound exposed as he left to search for something in his bedroom to help the situation.

He remained unconscious but started to stir after he was laid down. The hedgehog would have wished he stayed out for when he came to the pain in his head was immense. Sonic couldn't think as the migraine exploded into a heavy pulsing, pounding sensation, erupting from the gash he sustained.

He groaned again as he tried to piece together what was going on, having not remembered anything past Chaos Control. His hands gripped the couch cushion as the world around him spun in circles, making him feel as though he was about to fall off the sofa.

As fast and hard as it all hit him, it gradually started to disperse. At least the spinning part. Green eyes looked around from his position, taking a second to recognize Shadow's apartment and at the same time wondering how he got here.

After finding a white button up shirt that went with some stupid suit that he had to wear for certain occasions and meetings for GUN, Shadow made his way back out of his room, ripping a long piece from it (he hated that damned thing) and discarding the remainder on the floor carelessly. He glanced up from examining the size of the piece he tore off, and spotted the other in his waking state.

He frowned, deciding to quit what he was doing long enough to give Sonic a quick look over. Stopping in front of the sofa to peer down at the other, the black hedgehog said nothing, but gave a rather blank expression. Shadow turned away, intent on retrieving the first aid supplies from the medicine cabinet. He supposed they both owed one another an apology, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give his without a good internal fight.

Sonic blinked groggily before he turned away. It took him a while to put together a sentence and by the time he did, Shadow had already went to retrieve a first aid kit. Once he returned, he was rather surprised by the initiative the other was taking to help him.

"Ugh...what happened?" He cringed, his voice sounding way too loud to his own ears, and he dreaded the thought of hearing Shadow speak next. The black hedgehog set most of the items onto the floor with the exception of a single bottle and cotton ball. He didn't answer the question, hoping that the whole thing could be forgotten about and left alone. This only made Sonic's lips tug into a frown, finding it rather rude for him to ignore him, especially when he just saved his and everyone's lives. But he felt the faster he took care of this, the faster he could get back out there and take the Master Emerald back to the island. Shadow's memories had reformed in the back of his mind, and right now he chose to ignore that too, although he was grateful for the fact that he wasn't the one responsible for the gash along Sonic's head. At least, not as far as he could recall.

He twisted the lid from the bottle and set it down on a small silver box, then pressed the white fluff to the mouth of it, turning it until the ball was almost completely saturated. He made eye contact with the other, a cold, unwavering sort, a demand for him to keep still while he did his work.

Sonic had a couple of questions to ask but stopped himself from saying anything. He really didn't know how he managed to free Shadow from Eggman's mind control scheme but the idea of talking again made him feel nauseous. For all he knew though, the black hedgehog could've been the culprit that caused him a near concussion. He didn't know. He still couldn't remember what happened other than having to fight Shadow back for control, and the memory of which vividly replayed its self through a terribly aching back. He wouldn't be running around for a while.

Shadow bit his lip as he focused on having a steady hand, but quickly let go and bit his tongue instead, feeling that he was displaying a stupid expression in his previous state. He narrowed his eyes in concentration as he dabbed the cotton ball directly above the tear in Sonic's skin, giving it a slight squeeze to drop some of the clear fluid into the open sore. He paused a couple of times, expecting Sonic to either object or even possibly slug him; Shadow was pretty sure this didn't feel so good. As much as Sonic may have wanted to stop him, he figured it had to be done. So he took his frustration out on the cushion he rested on top of, digging his gloved fingers into it, and pulling at it hard while the other prodded the area with a cotton ball. Blue's face often contorted into something that reminisced pain but he did his best not to show it so much. As he worked, Shadow's lips gradually parted to reveal his canines. He didn't notice until he stopped, eyes once more meeting with Sonic's emerald. "You may need stitching." His voice was void of emotion, but decreasingly so. He really didn't know how Sonic would stand up to that. It left the injured hedgehog more or less bitter.

"Great." He grunted, eying Shadow in an almost annoyed manner. As though he might have blamed him for this, but again, he couldn't be sure. "So unless you have expertise with that, I guess I'm going to the hospital." And unless he had some pain killers, he wouldn't allow him to do it anyway. How he was going to get there may rely on the black hedgehog, however. He doubted he could stand for anymore than a few minutes without his back giving out on him or his head making him dizzy enough to collapse.

Shadow pulled his gaze away as Sonic spoke, not desiring to show the thoughts running through his mind, and he was certain he was doing a poor job of disguising his true feelings. Taking a deep breath, he looked back up at him, the emptiness returned to his eyes. "Well." He frowned, clenching one of his fists by his side. "It depends on what you call 'expertise'." The dark crimson tore away again, glaring at the silver box he'd brought into the room. Just in case. "I do work for the military. And I do have a.. considerable amount of training." He wasn't sure how the other would react, but he didn't mind taking the other to the nearby hospital if Sonic found them capable of handling his case. Shadow himself didn't know if Sonic had any allergies, he realized, pursing his lips. For all he knew, the supplies he had could do the job, but the painkillers might have adverse effects.

A considerate brow arched as green eyes stared. Sonic took some time to answer before giving him his decision. "Alright. Then do it." Perhaps it wasn't the best choice to make but thinking only made his head hurt worse and he didn't like the idea of traveling in his condition.

"Just give me some pain killers or something. My head is killing me." And he was pretty sure being stitched up wasn't going to make him feel any better.

"Hm," came the thoughtful reply. Shadow met Sonic's gaze yet again after he retrieved the metal box. "You're not allergic to anything, are you?" This felt so awkward, knowing he was about to take care of the miserably annoying hedgehog in such a manner. He probably owed it to him, but without being sure, Shadow vaguely felt as if he was risking his own neck despite their past, asking for trouble and lending a hand where it wasn't due. He wondered if the lookalike could even sit still through such a surgery - he was always so impatient, so antsy, and Shadow had yet to see him stay put longer than he had to sleep (unless of course he was slightly out of commission, as was the case now).

In the time it might take Sonic to respond, Shadow already had the case open, exposing a set of long and hooked needles, pliers, suture thread and a tube that could only contain an ounce and a half of ointment, if that much. He toyed with the concept in his mind of using it even if the other said he was allergic - it seemed reasonable punishment for making Shadow go through with this.

Sonic frowned at the sight of the intimidating utensils and hesitated before answering. He shut his eyes, trying to clear his mind of the sight, and what he'd be doing in the near future. "Not that I know of..." He mumbled uncertainly, rethinking the trust he put in Shadow's abilities. If he said he could do it, he believed him, but he worried about how he'd go about this.

Despite the things they've done together (or what Sonic has done for him recently), Shadow continued to be - or seemed to be - bitter towards the hedgehog. It was pretty frustrating at this point but he hoped Shadow wouldn't make this anymore painful than it was already going to be.

Sonic's doubt made him scoff, half in amusement. Where was the cocky attitude now? When Sonic needed his overinflated ego the most, where was it to help? It had run away with every drop of Sonic's casual certainty and dramatically confident grin. The black hedgehog had to say he didn't miss that wretched thing, curling itself along those narrow lips, exposing perfectly white teeth. It made Shadow uneasy; it usually led to something he wasn't particularly fond of, or familiar with as the case may be.

He fought back his own grin, glancing down at the cotton balls in a small jar he usually kept tucked into a corner on the bathroom counter. He lifted one, resting the silver box in his free hand, as he wiped away the excess moisture and a good bit of blood from the area. This was deposited next to the other on the carpet, and he went next for the lidocaine, taking things intentionally slow. He couldn't be certain if it was out of fear the other would change his mind and fight Shadow off at the last second, or if he was simply savoring the hedgehog's new demeanor.

Removing the cap, he dabbed a large amount onto a fresh ball, and began swiping it gently across the laceration. He added a second coat for good measure, and sat back, frowning. "Let me know when it begins to numb fairly well." He didn't want to start probing and poking at it every few seconds to check - he'd leave that up to the other.

Sonic held still for the time being, flinching when Shadow had cleaned the area, and then applied the substance to his open wound. He nodded at him but couldn't help but notice the hedgehog might be enjoying something out of this. That further flustered his nerves but he didn't show anything other than a weary expression and the occasional pain that obviously coursed through his head.

As time passed, however, the sharp tingling sensations began to diminish, and he could tell the area was starting to numb. Until he was fully satisfied, however, he supposed he could engage Shadow into some forced conversation. "Where's the Master Emerald?"

'Damn. Did he have to ask?' Shadow stared pointedly at the floor, not even wanting to let the other see his face as he thought over the question. That should give Sonic his answer, but he didn't know what he would say next. He thought over it a moment, keeping his gaze low. What if he made the wrong decision? He could have just as easily left Sonic in the woods or dropped him off at an emergency room somewhere. The hedgehog did seem to think they were capable of handling such a task despite Shadow's lack of confidence in humans. From there he could have gotten the Emerald to safety, but...

He didn't. And he didn't know why. He hoped the Doctor hadn't come back for it. Surely he expected the two of them to remove it from the scene. If not, Shadow was up for another round of the idiot's 'genius' scheming, and he wasn't sure he had the patience for that. His mind wandered over to Rouge. She did have the same ability to locate the Emeralds that Shadow possessed. That was no good, as he was fairly sure she was out looking for her prize now.

Sonic blinked and stared at him, still expecting him to say something. When he didn't, he put it together himself. "Eggman took it?" He guessed, not knowing what had happened after his injury. He didn't expect him to have just left it there but he didn't think Shadow would allow Eggman to take it either. "Oh, come on." He arched a skeptical brow at him. "I fought you for nothing? What happened?" He pried, waiting impatiently.

"I couldn't carry both you and the Emerald at once." Shadow fought to keep his ears erect as he felt them begin to lower. He didn't like this feeling, being put on the spot like this. What would Sonic have done, though? Shadow doubted he would have been left behind if Sonic had any say, but somehow that made him feel worse. "I left it." His voice was considerably quieter as he confessed, the frown etching even deeper into his muzzle.

Sonic gave him a blank stare. For a second he thought maybe he heard wrong. Shadow actually abandoned the Master Emerald just to carry him back? "Thanks..." He uttered, not sure of what else to say. He was worried about the emerald being left behind but he wasn't going to scold him for being nice. It was in some way a rarity after all.

Shadow waited for the smartassed remark, thinking it'd be something about his incompetence; about how he should have been able to do both, because Sonic could have, of course. Instead, he was taken aback by the expression of gratitude. He snorted, a show that he wasn't about to be as formal in his response.

But then Sonic grinned. Yes, that obnoxious grin Shadow absolutely loathes. It was faint, not as vibrant as usual, but it was there. "I knew you liked me."

When Shadow caught it out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but look up. 'Here it comes,' he narrowed his eyes, daring the other after that horrible grin on his face. Sonic exceeded his expectations with the most uncomfortable thing Shadow could imagine him saying at the moment. He gaped for a moment at the other, then growled, tearing his eyes away in resentment. Did he really have to push his luck with this? The striped hedgehog was tempted to return the other to his unconscious state just to shut him up for a while.

"Don't flatter yourself, hedgehog. Is that lidocaine working or not?" He was eager to change the subject, speaking both sentences as one in the same breath. His cheeks began to grow warm despite his inner battle; the faster he got this over with, the better. Sonic was being far too ridiculous for Shadow to handle.

"Does this mean we've gone to the next level in our relationship? Should we give each other pet names now? Hm." He looked him over thoughtfully. "Big Red? ...Or Emo Cuddles? Which do you prefer?" He gave him a cheesy smile, amazed at how well this distracted him from his previous headache. Or maybe the lidocaine was in full effect now.

Shadow trembled as the rage doubled inside him. He growled more darkly, raising fiery crimson to meet those cool emerald orbs. "Give it a rest, would you?" Did he really want to torture the person that was soon to be operating on him? However small of an operation stitching may be, Shadow wasn't required by any means to perform fancy stitch work, and he glowered, daring the hedgehog to continue.

What was the point in being that way about it? Did he really enjoy making others so miserable? Shadow failed to grasp the concept of finding humor in their situation, as it was terribly awkward. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to pretend none of it had even happened.

Sonic had a point, though, he realized as he widened his eyes in fury, baring those sharp canines. He'd let his guard down far too much lately, and in the wrong company. He couldn't believe his own stupidity. "Just.. shut. Up." Well, if need be.. he'd end it here.

Sonic's grin died into something a bit less threatening. "Fine, I'll think of some better ones later." He mumbled as though that was the cause of Shadow's frustration.

He spoke up again, not exactly wanting him to unleash that obvious, growing anger into his future duty. "Ease up on me. I'm just jokin' around. Besides, you owe me, buddy." He smiled at him, not as teasingly as you might imagine. "After all we've done, do you really think I'm that bad? You gotta like me at least a little."

Shadow snorted, narrowing his eyes. The wild rage had subsided, but he still was not fond of this conversation in the least. "I asked you a question first." After all, he didn't have to answer Sonic's questions since the hedgehog insisted on continually asking such nonsense. It was attempt after attempt to rile Shadow up as far as he could tell, and he didn't have the patience for the endless bickering like perhaps Sonic and Rouge did. He preferred to say only what was necessary, and didn't see the point to constant blabbering. Still, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him the other would keep this up if he didn't give him some kind of reply, "But if you insist on getting an answer out of me, you should know that I despise you no less."

Sonic watched him closely, seemingly unphased by his disgruntled nature. He was by far too used to it by now. You'd think it'd turn the hedgehog off; why would he push a conversation like this in the least? But oddly enough, this attitude of Shadow's just worked for him. He would still like to see what other emotions he could show. Getting that guard down was going to be one of the hardest things he'll ever accomplish, if he managed it at all.

"You despise me no less than liking me? Hm." He looked away briefly, rolling this around in his head. "See, was that so hard?" He smirked, that habit-forming grin returning.

Shadow felt a vein pulse in his temple; as quickly as he'd begun to look back to his supplies, he was glaring back at the other with venom absolutely radiating from his frame. Color raced to his muzzle as he clambered to his feet only to pin the other by his peach-tinted shoulders to the dark brown couch. The small tin and its contents were scattered amongst the other various things unceremoniously in the process. His features twitched as they barely managed to stay within his control, teeth flashing themselves threateningly at the other to top the cocky grin that Sonic seemed to find necessary for some accursed reason.

"Listen you," he spoke through clenched teeth, drawing himself near to the other's face for good measure, to let him know he meant business. "Don't push your luck with me!"

Sonic cringed as he felt his weight press down against him, the shake and movement making his head spin, but he recovered relatively quickly. Thank goodness for the stuff he put on his head before.

Sonic's pretty smile contorted into something a bit more uneasy and maybe even apologetic. Whether he was sincere was out of the question. Shadow had no reason to blow up on him like this but he couldn't help but notice he didn't exactly deny his accusations.

He had half in mind to say something to get himself even more in trouble but the closeness was too much to pass up. Besides, whether Shadow liked it or not, he was attractive in those most heated, tension built moments. This one, for instance, which drove him to move his head up, and meet his lips with his.

It wasn't exactly a wild, fiery kiss. Sonic was a bit too out of it right now to muster up some kind of crazed sex scene. The kiss was soft and careful, meant to quiet the other and hopefully calm him down. He couldn't promise so much on that last idea but Sonic was by no means mocking him.

The kiss ended as quickly as it came. He licked his wet tiers and emeralds looked straight in the other's eyes. "It's working now." He assured, "I'm numb."

Shadow panted as he growled, and was highly tempted to give the other a good blow to the head had he not had one already today. He might still deserve another. And just when he thought the other might actually shutup, Shadow was taken by surprise by the other's lips against his own.

His eyes widened once more, and his breath caught in his throat as he realized he couldn't move for what seemed like an hour. He made a muffled objection pass through his vocal chords, and his fingers flexed against the other's shoulders, finding balance for the awkward sensation hitting him full force. When the other pulled back, he realized that it was not an hour but only a moment that the kiss lasted, and he had to restrain himself to keep from feeling any disappointment in this find. He was able to breathe again and he narrowed his eyes, giving the blue hedgehog a dark glare as Sonic made his unsurprising announcement.

He said nothing else, but went to picking up the former contents of the small kit as he fought away the bright color that came to his cheeks. He was practically fuming with humiliation and a good touch of anger.

Sonic didn't say anything else as he tried to keep a straight look without further upsetting Shadow. He watched him pick up the contents of the kit, waiting patiently for him to return. He just hoped he had relaxed enough to a point of where he was capable of 'sewing' him back up without torturing him in the process. It couldn't be that bad though, not now. Not when the area there was already real numb, something he was very gracious for.

Shadow kept up his cold shoulder act until everything was back in the box with the exception of the small set of pliers. Fortunately only one needle had fallen out of it and the others didn't require sanitation. He snatched one out, along with the thread which he laced hastily through. He trimmed it and turned his focus to the wound, gripping the hooked needle with the pliers. Leaning in, he kept his gaze pointedly away from Sonic's. The last thing he wanted to do was make eye contact after a show like that. Fortunately, the blush had died down to nothing.

Shadow supported himself against the base of the couch, the crimson becoming nothing more than tiny slivers of concentration as he looped it through. He tied the ends together in a rough but secure knot, trimmed, and repeated the process in silence.

Where as the black hedgehog refused to meet his eyes, Sonic kept staring into his. The hedgehog was maybe a tiny bit more nervous about having a needle sewn through his skin than he let on but the previous distraction had enabled him to let go of some of his worries.

He looked at his eyes as if he was trying to see the reflection of his work. He knew he wouldn't want to see him in action but he couldn't help but look anyway. Then he felt the tiniest bit of a prick and the movement of the needle being pushed through. He tensed up more on reflex than actual pain, but said nothing, nor moved around anymore than that. Which was a feat in its self. The blue hedgehog, however, was getting rather restless already. As the other would know, he couldn't stand sitting in a spot for too long, and having to lay still for this was beginning to grate on his nerves.

Three stitches appeared to be enough to secure it in place and hold the skin together, but Shadow added a fourth as a precaution to a slightly questionable area. He felt the tension building below him all the while, and knew how miserable the other was to be stuck in one place for the duration of his work. An idea popped into his mind, and he wondered if he should actually follow through with it. Just the thought made a dark smirk of amusement creep onto his lips as he pulled back, studying the sutures automatically until he stood upright. He turned back to collect a few of the things, keeping the used needle and it's holder in his right hand, and left for the bathroom, still displaying the humored expression. What was he up to?


	6. Shenanigans

Hey, I hope everyone is enjoying the story. I wanted to warn that this chapter and a couple of more don't have so much action as others. I feel that the plot seems to be on hold for 'filler' chapters in order to have Sonic and Shadow bond further. That's what these are about. I assure you, things will pick back up soon, but I hope you all can enjoy the comedy in this chapter. Feel free to review. :P

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Sonic waved his feet idly back and forth but attempted to keep his upper body still during the time Shadow worked and then stopped. He accomplished it but it was obvious that restlessness was increasing. The black hedgehog failed to comfort his nerves any and especially when he saw a creeping dark grin on the other's face. He blinked at the sight, wanting to ask him what he was thinking. He was paranoid that Shadow had done something without his knowing or was about to.

He moved to sit up at that point but when he did, the angle made his head spin again. He toughed it out and propped his back against the arm rest and closed his eyes. By that time, Shadow had returned to the living room. He didn't give Sonic much thought until he gathered the rest of the items and put them away, leaving the needle holder and needle on the side of the sink to be cleaned later, and came back again.

A brow was lifted at the sight of Sonic's strained expression, and he paused before the mischievous half-smile etched back onto his face, full force. He turned his back to the other as he left the room for a glass of water, and when he returned a third time, he extended a glass to the hedgehog. He still hadn't decided whether to say the comment that clung to the back of his mind, keeping that smirk on his face, but he played with the words, wondering what, if he so chose to do so, would sound the most sincere and get the greatest reaction.

Sonic's eyes fluttered open as he heard footsteps approaching, then spotted the water being given to him. He looked rather unsure but reached his hand out to take the glass. With the looks Shadow kept giving him, he half expected him to have poisoned it. He stared into his class, trying to see if he saw any pills at the bottom. "Thanks." He grunted before eying him again almost suspiciously, taking his time before quenching his thirst.

Shadow caved, unable to hold back any longer. His gaze shifted casually off to the left as he seated himself across from the other on the sofa, eyes gleaming maliciously as he spoke, "You don't mind that I did a little embroidery while I was at it?" The dark expression multiplied as he turned his head to face Sonic, the grin widening, "I've always wanted to give it a shot, you see."

By the time he was finished, Sonic had managed only a couple of sips before he was leaning over to place it on the table, and straightening back up to stare at him. A look that closely resembled deer in headlights. He wasn't sure what to think at first then all sorts of ideas ran though his head as well as upsetting images. "Wh-What?"

Shadow almost laughed at the expression he invoked. He bit back a chuckle and scoffed instead, waving his hand as if this were nothing, "Relax, misemono," he said the name casually, to increase the tension building in Sonic's mind, "it's only my name, and perhaps I used a cursive font. With a little..." Shadow circled his finger in the air, furrowing his brow as he tried to think of the word. "Ah..." Damn, he was ruining his prank. "Curlie...s." Well, it was official. Shadow was a terrible liar. But perhaps not so terrible that Sonic would catch on immediately...

Blue furrowed a brow. "You branded me?" Not exactly something he expected him to do despite the fact he was just makin' it up. His fingers rose up automatically as if he could feel of the stitches himself but he wouldn't touch.

"I didn't know you liked me that much." He snorted, a half grin on his face as though he caught on to his lies, thanks to that last remark he made. Some doubt was still lingering in his eyes. As he tried to play it cool, he was just itching to run into the bathroom, and look at himself in a mirror.

Shadow snorted and looked away, knowing he'd given himself away to the other, but he detected that bit of uncertainty glimmering in the other's eyes and decided to hide his own. "I simply did it because you seemed so eager to go to the 'next level,' " there was an obvious level of sarcasm in his tone, even through the level and smooth way of talking that was so obviously Shadow.

"It was that or Amy's name, and I only decided at the last second to put mine. It seemed more vengeful." It was true that he had almost told the other that he had etched Amy's name into his skin, but he assumed he'd get a bigger scare out of having Shadow's name instead.

Sonic narrowed his eyes at him, trying to look through his and see the truth of the matter. His tail twitched and his eyes darted towards the bathroom. Would he cave and look? He tried to keep his cool natured stature but it was increasingly hard. Shadow wouldn't be so bold, would he? Then again...

"Hmph." Casually he started to climb to his feet, his legs a tad wobbly but capable of holding him up. He puffed out his chest and flashed him a cool smile. Because he was cool. And what he said would not ruin that awesome image. "I gotta go to the bathroom." But not because there was a mirror in there.

He forced himself towards the room, not giving him a second look while wondering what he'd do if Shadow's name really was sewn into his skin. The second he turned his back on him, a grin swept over Shadow's face. Did the other think he was that slow? Surely not. Still, it appeared that way. Shadow shook with the threat of laughter hovering just behind clenched teeth as he clenched his eyes shut. He composed himself after a deep breath and clamped his mouth shut as he rested his head in his hand, but he couldn't stop the twitching of his ears nor the occasional round of tremors that resulted from the fight against his own amusement.

He cleared his throat before the other could return, snorting for good measure to regain his cold demeanor. Allowing the smirk to slide back into place, he leaned comfortably back in his seat, watching the bathroom door.

Sonic walked slowly, making it a point that he wasn't worried at all, even though he kind of gave himself away by doing this to begin with. It was shut behind him and from there the blue hedgehog practically leaped in front of the sink to see himself in the mirror. He nearly grimaced at how bad the injury looked but Shadow's name was not in fact branded into his head. His eyes narrowed.

Okay, okay, so Shadow got him. He was a little surprised he'd pull a prank like this on him. After all, Sonic was usually the prankster in these cases. Now how to handle it?

He flushed the toilet as if he had actually went and then stepped hesitantly out of the bathroom. Glancing towards the smug hedgehog, he wondered future plans of retaliation. None came to mind right away, but normally openings arose pretty quickly.

He plopped back down on the couch and crossed his arms awkwardly over his chest. "I think you need to practice on your handwriting."

"Hah." A snort of what could only be restrained amusement escaped before Shadow bared his teeth in a knowing grin. He supposed Sonic really didn't think he was all that ignorant, and felt somewhat satisfied between knowing the idiot looked, and knowing that he could have kept up the act of pretending he went to use the restroom. While the hedgehog did flush the toilet, Shadow knew that it wasn't all the other was doing in there thanks to his smart remark. "And you need to learn to tell when someone's lying. It does come in handy." He stood, idly stretching his muscles as he made his way to the door. He was surprised how rested he felt, even after such a long day. He recalled feeling much more agile earlier as well, although he had yet to place the cause. The window in the kitchen caught his eye for a moment from his position by the front door. It was fairly dark out. Good thing he remembered exactly where the fight took place earlier.

"Going to get the Master Emerald?" It wasn't a hard assumption to make as Shadow headed for the door. Sonic was sort of anxious thinking about it; he didn't want their efforts to have been for nothing.

Shadow grunted his response, placing his hand on the knob, and looked from the kitchen window to Sonic slowly. He turned around, pulling the door open in the process. Once outside, it was shut behind him, and he raced off, shooting down the hall and stairs and gliding freely over the ground as he set his destination in his mind.

It was still fairly warm out, and Shadow appreciated the air rushing through his fur as he sped back to the woods. He had to be particularly careful not to trip or run into anything in the darkened area, the only light coming from the faint glow of his jets, but he got to his goal in one piece.

Thankfully, the Master Emerald was safe and secure. Well, as much as it could be, lying on the earth's floor like that. He stepped over to it and hefted it up, surprised at how lightweight it felt. It was very easy to handle compared to anything else of a similar size; and Shadow was off, hauling it above his head as he jet-skated his way back towards the fallen island. It took him a few minutes to get back to the inlet, but not as long as he might have expected. He made the leap across the gap in land, and skidded a bit on the broken stone before making his way up to the alter.

Once the Emerald was back in its place, the whole world seemed to tremble below him before giving one mighty heave as Angel Island lifted into the sky. He sighed in relief as he flopped onto the stone steps, staring at the sinking world before him.

Shadow leaned back onto his palms, furrowing his brow as he sat there in thought for a few minutes. He had a lot to think about, but one of the bigger questions in his mind was whether he should stay here or not. He knew that it was technically his duty, but he wasn't so sure he liked the idea of leaving Sonic back at his apartment alone. While Shadow still didn't know about Sonic's back troubles, he was sure the other was reasonably tired after such a battle, not to mention in pain from his head trauma. Letting his eyes wander up to the sky, he frowned: that didn't seem to stop the hedgehog from squirming impatiently as the Guardian stitched up the laceration, and he didn't believe that he would stay in one place very long without someone there to monitor him.

Then again. If Sonic left, surely he'd remember to at least close the door behind him, right? Shadow scoffed bitterly, staring off at the ocean to the left of the bay. Sonic could be as far away as the expanse before him, not a care in his mind as Shadow's apartment was left open to the world. That was just how he was.

Sighing miserably, he stood, not realizing that he had succeeded in giving himself yet another excuse to leave the Emerald behind and return to his familiar comforts. He gave himself a good running start, diving off the side of Angel Island, this time landing smoothly into a long glide and keeping his momentum as he made his way back home...

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Sonic did his best to stay still and get some rest. His back was aching pretty badly from having moved to the bathroom moments before. He waited until the dull throb had died down before he tested himself and moved around some more.

He raided Shadow's fridge, disappointed when the hedgehog had nothing to spare. He didn't even bother shutting the door back as he shed his shoes, socks and gloves in the middle of the hall on his way to his bedroom; making himself at home and stealing another pair of Shadow's gloves and socks.

By the time he was done, he was back on the couch, lounging in front of the TV he turned on with a remote. His back had started to hurt again but he propped himself up with pillows at an angle that took off some of the pressure.

For fun, he had also stole something else of Shadow's, and dawned it on.

The striped hedgehog marched up to his hallway, catching his breath in the process. Grateful that his door was indeed not open, Shadow did the job himself and stepped inside, noticing that the television was reflecting its light off the wall opposite the entranceway. He took a deep breath, finally ridding himself of any sluggishness, and turned around to see.. Sonic sprawled out on his couch in a black business suit. He moved a hand to his face, spinning on his heel as he reached for the knob again, having every intention of leaving before things started getting absolutely ridiculous.

Sonic may have been engaged in the ultra cool violent programming ringing gun shots out of the speakers but he did also notice Shadow's return. Perhaps he heard the door click shut or something of the sort. Maybe he had Shadow-radar but whatever the case he was apparently always going to be there to do something to catch his attention.

"Oi, Shadow! You're out of food!" He was hungry too and what with his back injury and hurt head...he might be out of commission for a while. Certainly the ebony hedgehog was going to take care of him until he's better, right? After all, everything was his fault.

Shadow cringed, wheeling back around and letting his hands drop back to his sides. "I. Know. That." He frowned, stepping back into sight, and stared questioningly at the other before glaring off in another direction. Should he bother even asking? Probably not. Here the other was, though, watching television in his suit. He really wondered what the point of it was, but he didn't dare question.. not yet anyhow. Instead, he kept his focus on some particularly interesting bit of wallpaper.

"Go out and bring me something back?" Sonic smiled innocently at him with big eyes, hoping he wouldn't be able to say no. He was so charming, how could he? And he couldn't expect him to eat any of those leftovers from before, he hated seafood!

"I would, but...my back hurts and my head, ya know...And after saving your life and being so cruelly beaten up by you and all..." He trailed off, trying to remain innocent as he casually played the guilt card. He stretched his legs a little as he continued to relax on Shadow's couch, eying him expectantly, and awaiting his response.

Shadow threw his arms out to the side and stomped into the bathroom. He slammed the door, relieved himself, cleaned up and swung the door open. "Should I even ask? No." He growled. "Just.. order something." The black hedgehog plucked the phone from the wall and stepped into the bedroom for a second, returning and making his way to the sofa. He threw the cordless phone into Sonic's lap and tucked himself into a far corner of the couch, avoiding contact or even eye contact with the other as much as possible.

"I really shouldn't have to ask."

Sonic picked up the cordless phone for a second but kept his eyes on Shadow. His lips curled into a cat-like grin as he started to reposition himself. He turned the other way, being careful not to strain his muscles. He leaned against Shadow, destroying that secure amount of distance he might have desired before.

"I don't feel like it." He pretended to pout, ignoring the remarks he made previous to that. He handed him the phone. "You do it. I want pizza."

Shadow scowled venomously as he leaned away slightly, finding he really had no room left to escape the other as long as he sat on the couch. He pushed the phone out of his hand and glared off in an opposite direction, lowering his lids. A small growl was his only verbal response. Shadow was paying for it, so why should he make the call? Besides that, he'd never done such before. Talking to others just wasn't very appealing, especially not some ignorant human teenager.

He huffed, keeping his body tense to let the other know that his new position was uninvited. The question was still there, present in his mind, as to why the blue hedgehog was wearing his suit. That was simply absurd.

Sonic persistently pushed the phone back on his lap. Except this time he did something a little more with it in hopes of encouraging him to react in his favor.

The over dramatic hedgehog rubbed the blunt end of the phone against Shadow's crotch, not too hard, but just right. "Shadooow..." He cooed in an alluring but needy fashion. "Pizza?" This just caused flustered black hedgehog to bristle, pushing the other away, perhaps roughly, but not hard enough to make Sonic actually go anywhere. This time the blue hedgehog gained an even louder growl as his reward and Shadow looked murderously away once he was satisfied he'd made his point. "I don't think so. You order your own damn food." With that, Shadow's arms were folded, and a frown set deeply upon his face.

Sonic blinked, maybe a little surprised at how grumpy he was. He found humor in himself for being surprised. He didn't always have to act like them fooling around was the first time ever though. What did he have to do to get through to the guy?

Suddenly losing his appetite, he hmphed and rose the phone high, dropping it roughly onto Shadow's hidden goods. "I'm not hungry now." Shadow had glimpsed out of the corner of his eye, catching movement, and pieced it together quickly. He tensed his thighs, drawing them together. He didn't have time for much else. Again, Shadow growled, snatching the phone up from his lap and glaring down at it for a beat.

As Sonic squirmed back to his side of the couch, Shadow let a puff of air escape his nostrils as he narrowed his eyes, letting the phone fall to the cushion between them. Once more he chanced a peek at the other hedgehog, and as a twinge of guilt struck him, he bristled again, turning to stare at the wall once more. What right did the other have after all? He had no reason to feel guilty. This was absurd.

His ears twitched as he was swallowed by thought, completely zoning out for a moment. He suddenly came to, but he didn't move his head as he piped up for the first time in the last few minutes, "Blue."

An ear twitched in Shadow's direction and his eyes followed, catching him from the corner of his emerald hues. He looked mildly curious, unsure if he just randomly said a color, or if he was referring to him. "Hm?" Sonic grunted, arms crossing over his chest, expressing a certain attitude he recently obtained, thanks to the ebony hedgehog. "What wuzzat?"

Shadow still appeared a bit dazed, but he was now aware that he probably didn't make much sense to the other. His frown seemed to flex as he thought of a reply, "If I had to choose, which I typically wouldn't, as I see no real point to it..." He blinked slowly, gradually coming out of his trance. His body was much less tense, as he wasn't purposefully trying to put Sonic off any longer, but his arms had yet to uncross, and remained in their rather inhospitable gesture.

"My favorite color would be blue."

Sonic arched a brow at him, not expecting him to say something like that. It came out of nowhere only to recall what he had asked them before in the woods. He showed him a confident smile, seemingly already over the irritable attitude Shadow drove him into seconds before. "Well of course. It's the color of yours truly and we all know how much you're into me." He winked.

Shadow looked over at the other, absolutely petrified. A startled choke made it's way past his lips as his brows threatened to meet dead center of his face. "That's..." How did he miss that? He hadn't even given his color a single thought, when he obviously should have, not to mention he should have seen the response coming. One rather unsavory to Shadow, and he recovered from his shock quickly, drawing a threatening expression onto his face. "It has nothing to do with that!"

He almost pouted, sinking his fingers into his biceps tightly as he shrugged his shoulders up around his head, turning away from the other bitterly. "You're an idiot."

Shadow pursed his lips, feeling he had to explain himself to prove that he wasn't lying. "Maria.. Maria's favorite dress was blue. I can't recall her wearing anything else anymore. It's the first thing that comes to my mind when I try to think of a color that stands out to me." And perhaps the reason he noticed the color was because he had, in fact, been seeing a lot of it lately. But that was a different story for a different time, and not something that Shadow felt should ever have to be addressed. He certainly wouldn't admit it, although he did have the fleeting thought. It was at that point, in one of those rare moments, Sonic took himself back a notch, and offered to be a little serious.

"Oh." It made sense and as much as he would have liked the color to stem from his coolness, it was touching that Shadow could or would say something like that to him. He wondered if he had been thinking of Maria a lot lately but the only thing he could think of to do was just smile. "Cool."

Shadow snorted, noticing the obvious change in his demeanor. He looked over at him calmly. A brow was raised, "You seem... offended.. perhaps?" He wasn't sure what it was, but Sonic didn't appear to like this conversation. It was only a casual response to the hedgehog's own question, so he didn't understand why he was behaving this way.

The last thing Shadow would have expected was any sort of respect towards him on Sonic's part.

He couldn't help but feel the smile was feigning, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, hoping the other would clarify the reason for the sudden, dramatic change.

In response, Sonic blinked, a little confused by his remark. He ended up shrugging it off though and giving him a look from the side, head turned the other way coolly. "Nope." Why would he be offended? If he had said anything more on the matter, he was certain he'd make the other more disgruntled.

Regardless of what he thought, he kept his responses short, indicating his own unique expressions of 'seriousness' or respect.

Shadow studied the other for a moment before an idea popped into his head. Sonic wasn't.. nah. Besides, she was only a friend, and she was long gone. Shadow had come to terms with this quite some time back. Perhaps Sonic didn't realize this? He didn't really believe the other was serious about this whole relationship thing, but now he wasn't so sure.

Uncrossing his arms, Shadow brought himself up to his full sitting height by planting his palms on the couch and shifting his weight. He paused before leaning forward onto them and giving Sonic an expectant, but flat, stare. He doubted his reason for doing so would register in the other's mind, but he'd give it a shot, nonetheless. The look he gave him made him feel a little awkward though. Sonic matched it with innocent stupidity and stared back, unsure of what the other was thinking.

"What?" It was a rather comical look but he said nothing more than that, giving him his own expectant stare as he reflected obliviousness to Shadow's suspiciouns.

"The suit."

He assumed that the other would have thought Shadow would have found this very odd in any case, and he continued to give his only semi-patient stare. After all, how did the hedgehog think he would react, walking into his apartment to see the other sprawled across his sofa, wearing his suit? It was just odd. He could think of no possible logical reason for the other to do so. And he figured he'd waited long enough to find out exactly what was going on in Sonic's insane mind that seemed to never stop coming up with ways to bug the hell out of him.

"Hm?" Sonic looked down at himself as though he hadn't noticed he was wearing anything out of the ordinary. He straightened his tie absentmindedly and looked at him casually as though the question its self was one to reconsider.

"Yeah, I know. Looks better on me." He smirked with a devilish wink. Shadow gave a stupid look before leaning back, "How would you even know?"

Pushing his foot against the phone that laid between them, Sonic pressed it against Shadow's side. His feet were adorned with his same sneakers, shoes that quite obviously didn't go with the outfit. Certain the subject was one that needed to be changed, he recalled his earlier hunger. "Pizza?"

"ah.. Hey." He snatched the phone up quickly, fingers flexing around the plastic that perhaps was no match for the angry death grip unleashed upon it, because a tiny cracking noise could be heard through the violent noise emitted by the television. "Why can't you order it, exactly?" Shadow frowned pointedly, swallowing back an insult that flickered on the tip of his tongue.

At that point Sonic had already turned his attention back to the television set. Surely Stripes was not blind. He could see that he was busy, right?

He looked at him, giving him that dumb look again. Whatever he just said having blown completely over his head. Or maybe he was pretending just to psyche him out.

"What?"

"What?!" Shadow repeated, sharp tone cutting through the sound from whatever movie he was watching. "I asked you a damn question, that's what." He promptly stood and blocked the other's view from the TV, at least to an extent, leaning forward to get his attention. "I said, 'Why can't you order it yourself?' " What? Did Shadow look like some kind of servant that had to follow Sonic's every command? He bared his teeth, yet it wasn't as violently as it had been in the past. More of an annoyance than real anger at this point, because Shadow just didn't have the energy to keep this up.

Sonic had a lot of fight in him, or whatever you wanted to call it. If Shadow had to vote, he'd say knocking the other back out might be more worth the effort than trying to shout sense into the bastard.

And of course, once again he was completely undaunted by Shadow's display of anger or frustration. This was a part of Shadow as much as Sonic was playful, or free style of thinking. The two were complete opposites and that's what the hedgehog found the most amusing and enjoyable.

"Well, you have the phone. Why can't you do it?" He questioned reasonably, tilting his head cutely to the side as though the answer was quite obvious.

Shadow's eyes widened, but this only made him look angrier. Why should he order the other's meal? After all, he was the one that wanted it. It wasn't necessarily that he questioned Sonic's taste in food, especially not now, but he had no concerns surrounding where his next meal was coming from. He still had that Chinese in the fridge, which apparently hadn't been up to Sonic's tastes tonight. A snort was the reply as he let the phone slide out of his hand, walking towards the other room.

He stopped as he came face-to-face with the mess on the dining room table. He'd forgotten all about that, and his guess was that he was too distracted to detect the lingering scent of stale meat in the air. At least it wasn't an entirely disgusting smell - it was much more tolerable than a bowl of canned chili he'd forgotten about in his fridge for a week. Sighing, he continued into the kitchen, dead set on getting this over and done with as quickly as possible.

Sonic frowned but decided not attend to his hunger just yet as he set his sights on the TV screen, letting it take over his attention. He didn't notice or particularly care what Shadow was doing at the moment. Instead he tried to catch up on what he's missed on this action flick. It'd have to do to bide his impatience for something to do. Too bad he was out of commission right now. He'd just have to tie himself over with this and annoying Shadow until he was better.

Shadow didn't take long to finish. Once he deposited the dishes in the sink and threw away the food and disposable tableware, he caught Sonic's previous plate out of the corner of his eye. The guilt from his earlier choice of words wrenched at him again and he swallowed thickly. He had, perhaps, been a little harsh on the other.

Nothing a person like Sonic couldn't handle, right? Although it had made him run away, Shadow had to admit...

But that was just pathetic. Shadow shook his head with a casual growl as he dumped the plate in the garbage can, stepping back into the other room. He took one last sweeping look over the dining table before resting his gaze on Sonic for a moment. He did need to do laundry.. but.. perhaps that could wait. "You're really going to let yourself go hungry?"

A commercial came on, thus allowing Shadow to attract his attention easier. Sonic looked towards him as he heard him speak up, having not noticed his reappearance due to the movie.

He thought about his question for a moment before narrowing his eyes in a look of accusation. As though the outcome all relied on Shadow. "Are you going to let me go hungry?"

Shadow sighed, opting to not get involved anymore. If Sonic was going to be that way about it, then it wasn't Shadow's concern. "Yes." After all, he really did have things to do. He could be watching the Master Emerald right now. And eventually he would have to feed himself. And there was laundry to do. And he had to get back on a normal sleeping schedule tonight, because he'd have to return to work Monday.. and.. Well. Shadow was just wasting too much time paying attention to the selfish hedgehog. With that thought in mind, he started towards the bathroom walking alongside the couch en route.

Sonic, however, arched a brow, watching temptation attempt to wander past him. He grinned to himself and reached out just as Shadow was passing by, grabbing onto his tail. He wasn't quite done with him yet as his impulsive nature took the wheel.

"Neh, Shadow... Wouldn't you like to benefit yourself as well?" Sonic's eyes roamed down his frame, stopping at a potentially suggestive location. "I don't want pizza anymore." He licked his lips and looked back up at him, giving his tail a gentle squeeze. "I think I want something else."


	7. New Mission and Rejection

Shadow nearly jumped out of his skin at the pressure on his tail. It was an awkward sensation that brought color to his muzzle quickly as his eyes grew wide. He snapped his head around to gape at the hedgehog as he spoke, shock still upon his features. "W-what?" He turned, swatting at the hand automatically as he attempted to free himself. "L--let go. Don't be absurd!" What was he thinking, acting like that around Shadow constantly? It was enough to make him go insane - he wasn't sure how to handle these situations, and Sonic was relentless.

There spread a toothy smile and the blue hedgehog reluctantly let go. Sonic's eyes kept locked on the other's, appearing nonchalant despite his earlier comments. Like nothing out of the ordinary was going on here.

"I don't know what you mean." He uttered coyly. "I'm just craving someon--I mean, something else." He said most innocently and then did a show of pondering what exactly.

"Maybe...ah, a corndog or a banana...Do you have any of those on ya?"

"What are you talking about?" Shadow narrowed his eyes. "You've apparently already searched my kitchen for food, why.. would..." he began to piece together just what the other was doing, and furrowed his brow in disbelief, "..you.." He came to a halt, shooting the other a disgusted, yet questioning, look. Surely not. Shadow was only jumping to conclusions, being paranoid. Of course Sonic wasn't being that vulgar! He cursed himself as he regained his composure, not believing how idiotic he was for such an idea, "Why would you even bother asking?"

After all, Sonic couldn't possibly be that bad, could he?

Said hedgehog nearly laughed at the look that crossed Shadow's face. He was tempted to get up but was reluctant to cause his back to ache again. This would be so much more affective with his hands ghosting down his frame.

"I may have searched your kitchen but come a little closer and let me search you." Sonic purposefully licked his lips, making his suggestions more and more obvious. That had been enough to confirm Shadow's previous suspicions. Shadow swallowed thickly, the shocked expression returning. Was that all Sonic thought about? He had other things to do, after all... He wondered if the other ever gave up, but it was a short-lived thought. No, probably not. Although, he couldn't resist eying that tongue... the original force that drove him into this downward spiral to begin with. He didn't know why the damn thing was so mesmerizing, but he was trapped staring at it until it slipped smoothly back into Sonic's mouth.

Taking this opportunity to look away, Shadow bared his teeth, glaring over at a random spot on the wall. "I don't think so."

"Ah, so you are hiding something." Sonic accused with narrowing eyes. Perhaps he wouldn't do this so much if he didn't know it bothered Shadow as much as it did. It was oddly alluring to the blue speed demon, making him want to tease, and beckon more and more expressions, and color from Shadow's face. He always seemed so set, confident, and dark; it was interesting seeing him in these particularly awkward moments that were equally comical.

Yet at the same time, if he could get it to escalate to something more, that was a bonus on his part. He had rather enjoyed those encounters; he had a feeling Shadow did too despite his urge to keep everything to himself. Although considering his condition, any sexual sessions may come with a price.

"...What?" This caused the black hedgehog to quirk a brow as he looked out of the corner of his eye at the, apparently, insane Sonic. He realized what was meant by the statement and glanced away once more. "Hardly the issue." His eyebrows practically met as he snorted, folding his arms. "Are you done, now? I have things to do." Still, the image played in his head, no matter how much he tried to push it away. Damn, he hated Sonic. How did he manage to get under Shadow's skin so easily?

"Aw, what's wrong? Don't be afraid, Shadow." He chuckled, "I'm not going to bite." And just to be corny, "Unless you want me to." There was that trademark wink.

"But I can understand if you're intimidated."

'No, thank you.'

Shadow was close enough as it was. Still, he didn't go away, either, waiting patiently almost as though he expected the other's permission to leave. Shadow knew that wasn't quite it, but he denied himself any further thought on that wavelength. Shrugging his shoulders away from the other in a bit of a childish gesture, the ebony hedgehog turned at the waist, facing away at an even wider angle. "You're not turning that one on me, so quit trying." He was well aware by now that this was one of the lines Sonic was particularly fond of using on him.

"I don't know what you mean, faker. It's clearly obvious." Sonic concluded snootily with an affirmative nod at the end and a useless hand gesture through the air.

"Even still I stir color in those cheeks and make your muscles stiff with nervousness. You can't stand me near you because it's apparent who becomes that 'Ultimate Lifeform' then, hm?" He eyed him with a smug smirk on his face. Mentally, he was laughing at his own ridiculously thickened air of arrogance. He doubted Shadow stupidly falling head first into this, but he watched to gage his next reaction, nonetheless.

Shadow growled his threats as he glared, not really sure what to make of his comments. The 'faker' one seemed to cause him to bristle, as he knew who the original fast hedgehog clearly was - not to mention more powerful. He also knew what the purpose was behind it, for the most part, but Shadow couldn't help but narrow his eyes as his upper lip curled back to bare sharp canines. "What are you talking about? This is ridiculous." A snort of disapproval, "If you think for one second that you're going to get anything out of me this way, you're an idiot."

Only seconds ago Shadow felt hesitance at leaving, but if Sonic was going to sit there and insult his competence, Shadow had no problem going on to take care of the work around the apartment that needed to be done. He stormed into the bathroom, collecting the hamper, then into the bedroom to add any additional laundry to the load he was carrying.

Although it wasn't what Sonic wanted, at least he got something out of his crude remarks. Apparently he'd have to try something different to spice up the game. He wasn't sure what and right now he really wasn't in the position to push things anymore than he has already. Even if he truly wanted to be intimate with Shadow, considering how they do things, he wouldn't last very long at all in his current state.

So he turned his attention to something else. The phone. Did he still want pizza? His belly persisted but now he just had to convince his body to move. Something that normally wouldn't be an obstacle for the hedgehog.

Shadow didn't even look at him as he strode by, hauling a rather tall stack - he'd added his sheets to the load and shifted the hamper awkwardly against his slender hips, finding the bulk a bit too much to carry directly in front of him. He did, however, slow down, staring straight forward all the time, but he spoke calmly now, having gotten over Sonic's insult (that was how he perceived it), "If you're going to order something, my card is in the wallet on the end table."

With that, Shadow was gone.

As he kicked the door closed behind him (quite a feat considering it opened inward), he sighed. He stepped to the elevator and pressed the 'down' button with his elbow, and when it opened, he leaned back against the support rail with his head, closing his eyes. Nothing happened for a moment, then he remembered to select his floor, resuming his position against the back of the elevator.

'That damned hedgehog..' He didn't know what to think, honestly. He assumed they could go back to rivals, but Sonic was so persistent of becoming something more. At least, Shadow thought it seemed that way. He opened his eyes, tilting his head down to stare at his load as he furthered his train of thought.

But Sonic was also a joker, a prankster of sorts. He didn't know how much of Sonic's words he could believe - what was fictional versus reality appeared to be a fine line, and a blush came to Shadow's cheeks. Why was he even worried about it? It made no difference to him whether Sonic was really interested in him or not. The only reason Sonic was there in his apartment now was that Shadow was a lot more laid back than people realized. The only reason.

Shadow looked up, surprised when the doors swung open. He was on a fairly high level, so had he really been on here that long already? But the lobby lay ahead, answering his question. He took a deep breath, attempting to purge the thoughts from his head as he stepped forward towards his goal.

He dropped in some spare change he brought with him and set the empty hamper on top of the washer containing his clothes. Idly tapping the second one he was using to wash his sheets, memorizing their location in the large room, he took a quick look around to see if anyone looked like they might particularly want to steal his sheets or hamper before walking back towards the lobby. He ignored the vending area and the teenagers swarming the drink machines, and marched past the front desk.

Untucking a small key from his shoe, Shadow unlocked the mail box with his apartment number embossed in gold lettering, saw that there was a thick envelope, and took a second look around. Another assignment? Would they really send it via mail? "Hm." He removed it and looked it over. Sure enough, it was unmarked. That could have been from anytime in the last three days, since he'd been neglecting it. Just like his other job. He frowned.

He sighed lightly, stepping back into the elevator, and rode up to his floor.

He shut the door behind him roughly as he returned to his apartment, leaning against it briefly. Raising a brow at Sonic, he stood erect, walking over to the sofa. "Did you get anything?" His gaze didn't stay on the blue hedgehog for long as he dropped onto the couch heavily, ripping away at the top of the envelope.

Sonic had stretched out to rest and try to relieve some of the pins and needles his back ached until the other returned. He watched him come in and sit down, his eyes just as swiftly leaving Shadow to the envelope he carried in with him. "Yuh huh." Curiosity peaked when he had been so boredly cooped up like this. This has to be the longest he's stayed put somewhere in a while now.

Gritting his teeth, he managed to sit upright. It was all done in one fluid motion that had him doing it only briefly to pluck the opened envelope from Shadow's grasp so he could read what was inside for him.

"For me?" He uttered as he laid back down, pursing his lips as he pondered who it was from. "Hm."

Shadow wasted no time pinning Sonic beneath him, pressing his weight onto one of the hedgehog's shoulders with his right hand as he snatched the envelope back furiously. Rage burned brightly in the crimson as he met Sonic's emerald, anger radiating off his form. "Don't. EVER. Do that again." He narrowed his eyes, and they grew less wild, the fire dimming. "No one else is allowed to see anything I receive from G.U.N., so I would suggest if you want to keep your head on your shoulders that you never pull that stunt on me again." He scolded himself as well. It was pretty stupid to start opening it in front of him. Especially since he still had no idea what was inside the envelope he held out away from the two of them.

The rough actions that ensued in order to take the letter back had Sonic tensing up below him. Something he ordinarily would have dealt with but once again put pressure on his back. He just laid there a moment as discomfort contorted onto his features. How was he supposed to know who sent the letter? Then again, who else would have sent Shadow mail? "Fine."

He rose his hands up, pushing him roughly against the chest at an angle, and hopefully knocking his balance off the couch.

A leg shot out instinctively and skidded across the floor under Shadow's weight at such an awkward angle. Shadow raised his head, looking arrogantly down at Sonic as he pushed back, landing on the carpet on his knees. He hefted his center of gravity up, coming into a crouching position before standing. Sonic's sudden change in mood surprised him quite a bit. He still assumed Sonic's only injury was the cut on his head.

He blinked, frowning as his brow drew in towards his nose. Unsure of how to respond as he observed the other, Shadow corrected his posture and pulled the contents of the envelope out to look over instead.

"Ah." His eyes widened as he looked at the name on the profile they'd given him, sticking just up above the front few pages. He tapped the stack against his abdomen, lining them up correctly. Surely that was for something else - that couldn't be his next assignment, even for something like tracking. But..

As he read the cover sheet, he raised a brow, looking up at Sonic. Could he keep his mouth shut? He doubted it. He pursed his lips, quickly looking back so not to attract too much attention. Walking into his bedroom, he tucked the stack along with its envelope underneath his dresser. He really didn't expect Sonic to go looking for it, but he also knew that it would be too much of a temptation sitting out in the open.

As curious as Shadow was, he could read it later.

He stepped back into the doorway, leaning against the frame with his hip and shoulder as his arms folded across his chest. He stared at Sonic in silence, pondering things to himself for a moment, then caved. "Is your head hurting that bad?" This made the other look over as his back gradually started to fade into another dull ache. Sonic shook his head in response, uttering quite simply, "My back."

Shadow's stare softened as a light expression of surprise set into his face, parting his lips as he stood there. He suddenly looked very guilty, and frowned at the floor. He knew, he just knew the answer to this question, and he shouldn't ask - it would only cause tension between them - but he did anyway. "I suppose I had a hand in that?" His casual leaning against the wall was full of guilty undertones, but he pushed off of the wall with his shoulder, stepping back into the living room. He didn't recall the whole incident but he just knew that all the while he fought with Sonic (what he could remember), he was determined to keep going. He enjoyed it. While Shadow did appreciate their rivalry on occasion, he knew that it was something much more sinister than he was used to.

For a moment, Sonic studied him before letting himself grin to ease up that tension, and make this seem a lot less important. "I suppose. It's no big deal though. I'll be fine. You know it'd take a lot more than that to keep me down.

"I'm guessing you don't remember. It wasn't your fault though. Eggman used the Master Emerald to manipulate your mind. He was using you to try to take me out. Of course, like all his plans, I managed to foil it." He smirked.

Shadow returned the smirk, but he didn't let Sonic see it as he made his way to the couch yet again, turning his head away until he got his features under control. "I see."

When he made to face Sonic again, there was that same casual expression on his face, almost daring anyone to speak to him, almost bored, almost uninterested in being anything other than the two of those. He met Sonic's eyes with his piercing gaze, "What did you order?" Another change of subject, but behind his collected exterior, Shadow's mind still had a lot of catching up to do with the fifty years he'd lost - it never seemed to stop, and he could only guess this was normal.

"Just a pizza." Sonic didn't mind the change of subject as it appeared to have made the black hedgehog uncomfortable before. Blue was fine either way.

"Hm." Shadow propped up his elbow, resting his head against his palm as he willingly settled into the comfortable silence that he decided to let come between them. The pizza he had come to know was very... soggy. He failed to see the appeal in it after having such a savory meal the night before. Whatever drove Sonic to eat it was beyond Shadow, who was rather grateful that he still had the whole second order of seafood waiting for him at his command.

He pursed his lips as he led his eyes back to Sonic. That suit was driving him crazy. "Can we make a compromise here? You lose the suit and I'll give you an ibuprofen. Sound reasonable enough?"

He considered this. A sneaky grin curved the ends of Sonic's lips. "Only if you take it off." Of course that'd seem a lot more sexual if they didn't go prancing around in the nude to begin with but it was still an opportunity to be suggestive and tease Shadow.

He immediately shot Sonic an irritated look that let the hedgehog know his comment went well over his head. "Take what off?" It suddenly occurred to him that he was wearing his shoes on his clean.. well.. at some point before this weekend... carpet. He'd take them off in a minute when he got up.

"My clothes." Sonic nearly purred with that grin that always led Shadow to believe he was thinking up something no good. He wasn't so sure he'd get it but it was amusing to think how innocent he was when it came to all of this even still.

Shadow twisted his features to display confusion and annoyance. "Can't you?" Then that grin. That damned grin. And he knew where this was going. That bastard was really trying to push his luck with him. He supposed that Sonic just enjoyed pissing him off or something of the sort. Somehow it didn't seem fair. Still, Shadow was grateful Sonic couldn't move around much on his own.

Or.. maybe Sonic really couldn't get it off all by himself?

Preposterous. He'd gotten it on without any help. Why should he need help now? He cursed himself for making up excuses for the other. That was ridiculously unlike himself. What should he even care?

Still.. that suit reaaally bugged the hell out of him..

Sonic tried to put on a serious face, and cleared his throat, wanting to lure him in. "Come on, Shadow. If you want it off, then just help me. That's all I'm asking. My back hurts." He added with a dramatic pout, ears even doing their part to lay back. He almost brought out the shivering puppy eyes on him but gave him a little mercy.

Grumbling, and turning his gaze back away from the other, Shadow answered, "Fine." With that, Stripes shifted up onto his knees, scooting close enough to reach him, supporting himself between Sonic's legs, but holding his body as far away as he could. He made the assumption that Sonic was going to pretend he was entirely helpless and give him trouble about something as simple as even unbuttoning the front of it, undoing the tie, so he set to work doing that himself. He started with the buttons as he hovered over the other, brow furrowed in concentration. It was pretty hard to balance like this without actually touching Sonic, but he was managing pretty well so far. Blue arched a brow in amusement as he struggled to do this. He wasn't sure why this all still made him so nervous but he'd use it to his own advantage.

Sonic closed his legs around him just above his thighs. He reached up, grabbing onto Shadow's shoulders and pulling him close, ruining his concentration. He had him right where he wanted him as he locked eyes with the other's, his breath beating against his lips. "Ya know, if you're really careful, I might be able to repay you for this hospitality." For the time being, he decided he could deal with the added weight against his frame.

Shadow blinked dumbly after falling onto his forearms that propped against Sonic's chest. After he recovered from the initial shock, however, he found himself far too close for comfort, and his eyes widened. Color raced to his muzzle, beating Shadow in his attempt to control himself. He closed his mouth instinctively, narrowing his eyes. "I knew you weren't up to any good." But he fell for it anyway. After promising himself that he wouldn't drop his guard again.

This was just unacceptable.

He pushed against the grip on his shoulders, but was at a clear disadvantage if Sonic was hanging on too tightly. His arms were bent beneath him at an angle that didn't allow for much resistance. He kept his grip on the other too.

"Of course not. I'm a bad boy." Blue gave a crocodile grin, trying not to laugh at his own lameness but at the same time he knew Shadow wouldn't get it either. Sonic was doing things and saying things he never thought he would and he loved the new direction life has taken him in - or namely, Shadow.

"Don't act like you don't love it." He licked his tongue over Shadow's lips just to get a taste. It made the other hedgehog shiver weakly in pleasure that ran down his spine. Pleasure he didn't want to feel.

Clamping his eyes shut, Shadow pushed harder. Who said he was acting? Sonic was being too presumptuous. Who was he to tell Shadow what he liked? All the same, he might have fought harder, no he would have fought harder were it anyone else. Not that he would admit that even to himself.

"Preposterous." When he opened his eyes again, he gave a glare, a dark spark behind it. No matter how much Shadow fought the other, his body still cried out for more. He didn't understand. "Let go."

Sonic kept his grip tight and squeezed his legs harder around him. He wasn't letting go, not yet.

"But it's so easy to just take what you want..." He planted a small kiss on his lips, giving him a little more than before; eyes giving off a sultry green glow.

Shadow felt his heart beat a little faster. He wasn't entirely sure which was the cause - the way Sonic's legs squeezed him so invitingly or his persistence against his helplessly exposed mouth, or even just the overpowering warmth that engulfed him. And it didn't really matter. He didn't think that he was getting out of this without hurting the other more than he already had, and he was still feeling rather guilty for that. Even if it was beyond his control.

He frowned defensively, looking at a spot on the other's shoulder. He couldn't allow their eyes to meet when he was feeling so weak-willed. Sonic would catch on quickly as he always did and take advantage of any doubts Shadow had in his mind. Swallowing thickly and failing at removing the aching lump in his throat, he took a deep breath, letting his shoulders rise alongside his face.

Without warning, Shadow squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see that victorious expression, and leaned in, anxiety gnawing at his insides as their lips met.

Sonic wasn't a hundred percent sure what he'd do at this point but the results were more pleasing than he thought he'd obtain. He closed his eyes too, inwardly feeling as victorious as Shadow was afraid to see, but all he expressed at the moment was the fervent want of his succulent mouth. He drove his tongue past his lips in an immediate desire to take over.

Shadow's eyes shot back open. He wasn't sure why, but this action took him by surprise. He gave a gentle grunt to illustrate this, and pulled back, an even darker shade of pink tinting his beige muzzle. Panting, Shadow turned his head to a slight angle, hoping to keep Sonic at bay while he recovered from the probing tongue. His ears lay flat as he risked a glance at the other. "Happy now?"

Sonic had grinned at him, enjoying the taste still left behind on his tongue. He licked moistened lips once more as he briefly met eyes with the other.

He arched a brow, looking quite obviously content. Of course, he could always go for more. "Are you?" Could he be happy with such a small sample of what Sonic could so easily give him? He hoped not while his back would have begged to differ.

But Shadow refused to answer, instead pulling against the other's grip as he shot Sonic a disapproving look. "Let go."

How could he answer that, after all? But the new, unexplainable need that built inside him had to be extinguished. So even if he knew the answer to his own question, it wouldn't matter. He held his breath in his throat as he struggled to free himself, clenching the fabric beneath his fingers.

Sonic wasn't used to chasing around after someone in this sort of manner — and granted, Shadow had brought out a lot of flirtatious behavior he normally didn't have to exaggerate to get anyone else's attention, his mood suddenly felt dampened and he bristled at the other's final reaction. You'd think eventually he'd break especially since he was the one that started all of this; but he wasn't so sure he was going to have the patience to deal with Shadow's quiet and reserved nature much longer — despite what he might have thought before.

Sonic let go but he wasn't happy about it. He proved it by pushing him back onto the floor and using the element of surprise. He returned his gaze to the ceiling, torn between leaving, and wondering why he felt so bitter. That wasn't like him at all.

The ebony hedgehog landed on his hip, wincing as his flesh was crushed beneath his own bones. He massaged the area as he stood, looking very guilty, and almost disappointed. Knowing he'd upset the other, he lowered his head as he sat against the wall, focusing intently on the carpet. His arms folded and propped against his bent knees and his tail practically curled below him.

What was worse than being thrown to the floor? Well, considering he didn't feel any better or any more relieved of the tension that clung to the back of his mind, giving him a heavy heart, he would say a lot was worse than being thrown to the floor at the moment. He didn't say anything, hoping, for some reason beyond his comprehension, that Sonic would get over it soon. Did he think Shadow was angry? Perhaps that was why he was acting that way? Shadow considered saying something, but pushed the thought away quickly.

Which was good, Sonic was grateful he didn't say anything. It gave him some time to think. A part of him was certain the other wanted what he kept proposing despite his hateful objections. His other half reminded him of how much of a fool he's been acting. He wasn't sure where the feelings suddenly came from, Shadow was acting no different than usual, but he didn't feel so carefree anymore. Maybe he's just been hanging around him for too long, or maybe it was the stress his body had went under lately. It was feelings like these he normally ran away from though, and at the moment, that seemed like a good idea too.

Once again he lost his appetite. Sonic sat upright, ignoring his back pangs. He gets to his feet and further removes the suit from his body to lay in place of himself on the couch. "You're going to have to eat that pizza yourself. I can't stay still any longer. I'm going for a run."

Shadow stood almost immediately upon the other finishing his sentence. He didn't, of course, know the thoughts that ran through Sonic's mind, but he did know that he was probably still in pain, and after all, he was taking off that damned suit. Here was a chance to redeem himself. Even if it was just a little.

"I'll get you a painkiller," he offered, sincere expression on his face as he sought eye contact with the other. Shadow was just a little late in the game. It was Sonic this time who avoided the other's eyes, intent on his original goal. He needed to run and he wouldn't waste another second, a role in which his pride came into play. He refused to accept his aid now.

"I don't need it." He said plainly and forced a confident smile on his face. He spared him a look, trying to cover up previous emotions, then headed to the balcony. His back screamed at him to reconsider but now he was already outside, looking over the railing.

"Wait." Shadow almost didn't take the hint. But now he got it, and a look of disappointment returned to his features. Following the other, Shadow furrowed his brow, piecing things together out loud. "You're angry with me." He stopped behind Sonic, pursing his lips as he looked expectantly at him, hoping he'd reconsider. As foolish as he felt for his own behavior, he had no intentions of letting the blue hedgehog leave on his own. He wondered at the back of his mind what would happen if no one was there when the pizza arrived. Would they leave it and charge his card? Or would they take it back with them? He only knew the basics of food delivery: you call, you pay, you get food delivered.

Sonic stopped and leaned against the railing that did absolutely nothing to take pressure off his back. He looked over his shoulder at Shadow, grunting in disagreement; while trying to prepare himself for a jump and a landing.

"Why would I be?" Shadow couldn't help who he is and what he wanted. Despite this, Sonic did feel angry with him.

Shadow didn't exactly know the answer to this question himself, but he did know Sonic wasn't happy. The awkward idea popped into his mind again, fueled by memories he'd sworn couldn't touch him again, but he reminded himself that the world, this world was different, and that he would lose... something by acting upon his urges.

Instead, he shook his head slowly as a response, failing in his search for something to say; he didn't know. "But.. " He studied Sonic's expression. "You are."

Sonic looked towards the ground and gripped the railing tighter, tempted to just throw his weight over and not say anything at all. "It doesn't matter." He uttered, postponing his painful jump a few seconds longer.

"Forget it, eh?" He glanced back over his shoulder before looking ahead again. Taking a deep breath, he hurled himself over the balcony.


	8. Making Up

Shadow reached over the side, making an attempt to stop the other, but Sonic was already beyond his grasp. The blue hedgehog landed in a crouching position in the alley below. It made him remember the last time Sonic did this. And why. Shadow immediately knew just why he was so upset and bit his lip before diving off after. Sonic's landing was a bit more painful; he had to bite his tongue to ignore the incredible jolts of pain surging through his back the impact erupted. He trembled and instantly regretted it; but only took another second to try to catch his breath before attempting to race away. He was already running off by the time Shadow landed in a similar position, but recovered quicker considering he was doing much better physically. "Hold on a--" As he stood, he turned to the other to see he was already gone. Wasting not another second, the striped hedgehog followed, determination set in his features. Sonic had no business doing this until they at least were sure he had no internal damage... or ...well... Shadow just didn't feel comfortable with him running off like this.

It felt like fire or pins shredding across his back, nearly cursing with each step he took, Sonic would be easy to catch up with given the rate of speed he was traveling in. He was heading for a remote area outside the city. He just needed a place to relax and be by himself. He doubted the likely hood of making it all in one run, however. And after only a couple of minutes, he darted down another alley, using a building wall to support himself. He stood, leaning back against it and panting. What he really needed was those pain killers he so foolishly dismissed.

Shadow glided smoothly behind, having kept up relatively easy, head held low against the wind. He was surprised at how little speed he had to use to keep up. When he really thought about it, though, he supposed it wasn't as surprising as he first thought. Sonic did seem fairly irritable every time he even moved earlier. After he took that sharp turn, he slowed to a walk, stepping into the unlit alley soon after. Giving the other a calm, almost blank look, he folded his arms as he stopped in front of him.

Sonic's ears twitched, picking up on the footsteps before his eyes had looked up to spot his arrival. He continued to breathe rather heavily, counting every other breath as he stared, having been oblivious to his pursuit until then. The surprise didn't show on his face at all.

He gritted his teeth into a grin, looking a bit more feral than he meant to. "What? I thought we were done talking."

Shadow couldn't help but smirk at this. That look on Sonic's face told the whole story. "Hmph. I didn't say anything." He relaxed his posture, taking a couple more steps over to the hedgehog. If Sonic wanted them to be through talking, he didn't have to say anything. He knew he was here to take him back. And if he didn't, then he was a bit slow. He looked like he'd had enough fun running around for one go, anyhow. Slowly, he let his arms uncross, resting one hand on his hip as he let the other fall to his side.

Sonic's legs felt wobbly, he silently noted, and he was thankful for his back's support during his pit stop. He tried not to show weakness on his face, although no matter how hard he tried to mask it, the fact of how sore he truly was is quite evident. He sort of knew this and it was this that flustered him the most. He didn't want to go back and he didn't want Shadow's help.

"I'm fine." He assured, knowing what he was thinking. He pushed off from the wall, holding himself up nice and tall - like a building about to crumble.

Shadow gave a sort of half-chuckle. It was quiet but calculated. "You're too damn stubborn." He couldn't help but think that perhaps this aspect could be reflected in himself at times, but it was this fact that led him to understand exactly how the other felt at the moment. "Don't make me waste my time chasing you." With that final word, he pointed accusingly at him, knowing what he was about to do.

But if he had to go after him, he wouldn't hesitate. It was his fault after all, that the hedgehog was in so much pain. How could he just let him go off like that, not having a clue how much longer he could last (not too much judging by how quickly he had to take a break, Shadow decided) on his own two feet. "Besides. Isn't it impolite to have someone buy you dinner and run out on them like that?" He narrowed his eyes to soften his smirk. If only a little.

Sonic scoffed and started to walk out of the alley. "Of all people, you're giving me a lecture on mannerisms?" He stopped on the sidewalk, looking absentmindedly at a couple of passing civilians on the other side of the street. "Besides, I'm not hungry. I'm fine." He re-stated, just for the record.

Of course, being his stubborn self, he shot off once more, pumping his legs even harder than before as if to prove a point. Even so, he still wasn't running as fast as he could. The horrendous pin pricking tingling sensations were beginning to make his back go numb.

His defiance to sheer logic plastered a frown upon Shadow's muzzle. What was he trying to prove? Doing this was hurting no one but him, he thought. He dashed after, doubling his efforts to match Sonic's own. He gave the hedgehog a flat look as he paced himself alongside him, ears fighting the wind. "You're really wasting your efforts, hedgehog." Staring ahead he added, "It's not worth it over something so simple as stubborn pride. We both know that."

He narrowed his eyes as Shadow so easily matched his steps and the fact that he did have a point. But he didn't let himself stick around to hear it.

As soon as he looked ahead, Sonic turned back the other way and turned a sharp corner around a hair salon, intent on losing him. He wasn't so confident of success but apparently his stubbornness was going to make him try. He wasn't even sure why the other cared to follow him to begin with, but the only company he wanted right now was his own.

Shadow braked, looking a little peeved that he decided to dart in the middle of his sentence. Oh... yeah. Shadow thought he definitely had the right to say something about his lack of manners. That attitude was going to have to go. He caught up with him, narrowing his eyes. "Don't make me take you down. I don't know what you're trying to prove, but it's not going to work." It was clear he was running short on patience.

He didn't want to, but if the only way he was getting Sonic home safe and sound was to knock him down and drag him back (kicking and screaming or otherwise), then he was about to do just that. "Come back now. I'm warning you." By now he'd forgotten the real, sincere reason he was doing this, and it had become more like a challenge, something he could not lose at. It was almost as if his reputation stood on the line if he backed down now.

"Hmph." Blue looked casually ahead, unwavered from his current intentions. "Since when did you start caring about what I do?" He could tease him about this on so many levels but at the moment he was feeling uncharacteristically irritable. Mostly to do with his back and what transpired between them earlier of course.

Now, unfortunately, he wasn't even capable of initializing his best defense of running away. No, his big fat problem was refusing to shake off his tail. How was he supposed to handle this now? It was becoming increasingly harder to smile or come up with witty retorts.

Shadow looked a bit painfully confused and concerned about the question posed, but he didn't slow any. He didn't want to think about it, and he didn't want to care. It didn't matter why he was doing this, and he refused to believe for even a second that it was because he.. cared. That was absurd. What kind of suggestion was that? He was simply not the mindlessly violent person he was made out to be. It had nothing to do with that - not how Sonic put it.

Or maybe he was hearing it that way?

The black hedgehog kept his silence for another moment before barking his command to the other, "Just stop already. You know it's not worth the trouble."

Sonic bristled as he was denied a rather simple explanation. Once again he surprised himself by his own attitude, partly blaming Shadow.

He basically sneered, knowing he should have expected as much. "It's my own business." He managed to snap before his behavior finally caught up with him. The distraction of his injured back somehow made him miscalculate a step somewhere along the way and he was tripping over his feet before he knew it.

Embarrassing.

He fell against the concrete, landing on his stomach and skidding a couple of agonizing inches. An eye clenched closed as the other stayed open and he dug his fingers against the ground. He really didn't like how today was turning out at all.

Shadow clicked off his jets, grinding to a halt behind the other. He gaped for a second as he panicked, not sure what to do - he didn't expect this EXACTLY, and then he forced his mouth shut, stepping over to the fallen hedgehog. He sort of tilted his head, trying to read the other expression. How much more head trauma could the other take before doing some permanent damage?

Fortunately he seemed to be breathing. And his hand was tensed in what appeared to be a struggle against himself - he was probably hurting one hell of a lot right now. Especially since he didn't jump right up and keep on going.

He pursed his lips before they parted loosely as he observed the other in silence. Eventually he moved around to the other side of him, meeting his pained gaze with one of sympathy. Would it hurt his ego more to stand alone and risk failing? Or for Shadow to lend a hand.

He shook away that thought. It didn't matter. He'd done enough to blow his tough guy cover today. As long as he kept his comments to himself, surely the other wouldn't freak out on him. He hefted both arms under one of Sonic's, attempting to flip him into a more accessible position.

It took all his strength not to overreact to the devastating pain that took a toll on Sonic's back and a returning migraine. Even so Sonic grimaced as Shadow started to help him up. He wasn't sure if he could stand very long on his own at this point so he didn't bother biting the other's head off for this. He felt humiliated enough already than to argue senselessly with him anymore than he had. He finally kept quiet and moved any way the other silently requested to allow him to take him back.

Giving Sonic a quick look-over, he frowned at the scratches that littered the lean figure below him. He sighed as he started to grasp his arms. This was just more work to do. He gave a good tug, landing Sonic's arms on his shoulders and hooking his arms under to support Sonic's lower back as he moved out of his crouching position, bringing him to where, if desired, he could at least stand on his feet.

Shadow's ears pinned back in his effort as more weight fell to his frame. Still, he listened to every sound around him, tuned specifically for any signs that he might be hurting the other.

Sonic did at least keep his arms put though, not wanting to make this any harder than he had already. He seriously needed to lay down despite how much his spirit was unwilling to do so. His body just couldn't keep up.

Shadow couldn't hurt him anymore than he was hurting already. Out of view of the other's eyes, the distress was much more evident on his face as he fantasized about pain killers.

That little urge was creeping at the back of Shadow's mind again. It was overwhelming, telling Shadow, pleading with him, just to listen to reason. Sonic didn't care. Why should he care? He'd seen almost every side of Shadow in just a couple of days that, honestly, was there any shame left to be had?

He struggled with himself, furrowing his brow as he paused in his work. He had planned to leave from that point, to get the other back home, but the opportunity was here again. He was close. But this was ridiculous? Why would he want to do anything like that? It seemed foolish to say the least.

But more than anything, more than anyone else, more than with Maria (but only perhaps because it came so naturally with them? She was his sister.. or close to it), he desired to show even the smallest bit of emotion to Sonic. He was a gentleman, and how would it look if he gruffly hauled the other back to the apartment, plopped him down on the couch, and just pretended like nothing happened? Like none of this was his fault.

And maybe... just maybe if he had done this to begin with, Sonic wouldn't have up and jumped over the damned rail.

Cursing himself loudly, repeatedly, angrily in his mind, he tightened his grip on Sonic, placing a fraction of his head's weight on the other's. He clenched his eyes shut as nervousness pummeled at him from all sides, causing his heart to stop for a beat - or it felt like it. This was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Still. He'd started it. It was too late to go back. Do or die.

"I'm... sorry."

For a second he thought he was imagining something but then he realized Shadow had actually said something to him. Something he was considerably surprised about and that lifted all the cold bitterness he had been feeling in an instant. For a brief second, he was even distracted enough to ignore the agonizing ache that was shooting up his spine.

There was a lot of things he could say at that moment. Some part of his playful and immature nature wanted to make a joke but he didn't. He didn't really say anything at all. In his own way of doing things, he offered another rare moment of at least trying to be respectful to the fact Shadow had lowered his guard a little further; and Sonic relaxed and laid his head more against his.

"S'okay."

Just that tiny bit of friction from Sonic moving his head, that little bit of warmth he was starting to feel, shot Shadow's guard back up as embarrassment rushed back to him, doubly so. He cleared his throat, feeling quite foolish, "Ah. Um. Let's go back," and gave Sonic's lower back a good squeeze with his right arm as he stooped, his left one snaking around Sonic's thighs.

He knew how very ridiculous he might look, what kind of revealing expression he might display at the moment, and so he tried to keep his head above Sonic's as much as possible as he stepped to the end of the alley. Once into the open road he raced away towards home. Away from that awkward alleyway. Away from his silly gesture of familiarity.


	9. The Plot Thickens

The next day Sonic was feeling a little better after the hard run (and fall) that happened yesterday. He took advantage of his back on multiple occasions, one that had encouraged Shadow to carry him around, which led him to the couch he was currently residing on now.

Sonic was completely engrossed with the television for the time being. He didn't often watch it. Never found the time to or was never capable of sitting down long enough. He was actually surprised at himself that he's been able to handle staying with Shadow in this small apartment for so long. He supposed he could be getting used to it but the second his muscles let him, he was taking off, and at least doing a hundred or so laps around the city. He couldn't wait to run like that again.

Shadow was still around too of course. He had disappeared into the bedroom only a couple of minutes earlier, retrieving something he had since ignored up until this point. He held the envelope that he had hidden from Sonic prior. Once he sat on the end of the bed, he began to empty it into his lap, looking closely at the papers. He still couldn't understand why they decided, now, that Rouge was a threat. They'd known for a while now about her jewel theft.

Also, they knew how close she had been to Shadow. Wasn't it dangerous to openly assign him to taking her down? Whatever she was up to, she'd take care of quickly and escape if she found out, and she had the access to do so.

Flipping through, he found what she was accused of.

So it wasn't just about shiny objects after all. Or if it was, it was about exchanges to get them. She was the main suspect for several information leaks and the disappearance of several weapons in progress. Sounded like Rouge alright.

Unaware of the information about her, Sonic remained planted in front of the TV. It was no surprise the first programming he decided on failed to keep his attention for long. He changed the channel, stopping it on a news cast that brought about a smug smile across his lips. He put down the remote.

After Shadow finished reading the report, he started to fold it up, intending to destroy it when he remembered how powerless he was at the moment. He grumbled miserably, shoving it back under the dresser to get rid of later. As he leaned over to stuff it under the piece of furniture he picked up on the rambling from the TV. It was a segment related to the blue speedster on the couch, spewing too many compliments that'd undoubtedly make Sonic's head larger.

Shadow stood, narrowing his eyes as a billion sarcastic comments came to his mind. Well, time to go ruin the ego trip.

He stepped into the living room, propping himself against the couch using his hip as he casually looked at the screen. "Hm. You know... I don't think they capture just how nauseating your smile can be. You should complain."

He blinked and shot Shadow a look, torn between appearing annoyed, or playing off Shadow's own behavior. "Aw, don't be like that, Shadow. There can only be one true hero and no one can compare to this blue hedgehog. No need to be jealous." He puffed out his chest, looking awfully proud. It was a wonder how anyone could look or feel so arrogant. But with a fan base like he has, no wonder he rarely got down.

Shadow scoffed, throwing a hand in the air dismissively as he started past the other. "Pathetic. I have no desire to be the cover story of a human show or publication. It's a waste of time." It really was pathetic that Sonic enjoyed the attention. Perhaps that was what made the idiot so cocky, but he saw nothing positive in that egocentric attitude.

Sonic reached out, snagging his wrist as he tried to pass. He pulled him onto his lap, locking his arms around his waist. His chin rested on Shadow's shoulder as a grin played across his lips and his breath beat against his cheek.

"Nothing that involves me is a waste of time. If you'd like me to show you what I mean, I can..."

Shadow's whole body tensed as he felt color rushing to his face again. He sensed the heat rising to his muzzle and cursed himself for allowing this to affect him so quickly. He started to claw and climb his way away from the other when Sonic's arms gripped his waist, and he flattened his ears, doing his best not to tense his quills. "Stop that," but he was cut off by the other.

He didn't dare look. He knew that idiotic grin was there, taunting him as always. Shadow sighed defeatedly, leaning over to the arm of the couch and resting his head in his hand. Sonic really was a bother. At least he'd gotten everything taken care of that had to be done so far today. "Do I really have a choice?" Of course not. Sonic was going to keep at it until he gave in. If not now, then later.

Sonic chuckled behind him, as expected, not at all discouraged by his attitude. At least not this evening. "We both know you could stop me if you wanted to. So don't act like you don't enjoy this." He lifted his head higher and closer, catching the tip of his ear with his teeth and giving it a sharp nip as his arms remained around him.

"Tell me you don't and I'll stop. I'll never, ever bug you again."

Shadow's nerves screamed all sorts of profanities at him at the simple gesture and he almost melted. Shaking the feeling away, he turned at the waist, shoving their torsos apart by placing his hands on the other's chest. He searched Sonic's eyes for any kind of response that he fell short with. He honestly considered doing just that - telling the other he despised the behavior.

Instead, all that came out was, "Whatever, misemono," as he looked away boredly. He was disappointed that it was all he could come up with. Sonic's smile just grew as Shadow proved him correct. He didn't tell him to stop but instead tried again and again to hide what he was feeling inside. It seemed so uselessly redundant at this point.

Pushing his arms out of the way to close the gap between them, Sonic grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at him as he leaned in close. "That's what I thought." He uttered with a cocky expression before sealing his mouth over his, indulging them in a passionate kiss. As the other drew close, Shadow's ears perked in curiosity, even with that bored glare, and even though he knew exactly what was happening, he found himself offering a remarkable bit less fight than before, and soon began to shift atop the other, breaking the kiss in short intervals as he turned to straddle Sonic's lap.

Finally he settled into his new position, tail curling back as he fought to remain dominant without overwhelming as he'd had the tendency to do. With his hands on Sonic's shoulders for support, he pressed the other against the couch, keeping his eyes squeezed tight with concentration. He let his teeth glaze Sonic's bottom lip every now and then, as he ended up enjoying it each time they kissed.

He couldn't recall why they were doing this exactly, but he also knew what it led to every time, and that alone made it harder for him to breathe during this act. Perhaps he should have fought a little harder - he wondered if he was maybe a little too easy for the hedgehog. He'd make a mental note not to be so eager, in that case, trying to slow down his breathing and take back control of his wandering mind.

Despite what had pushed Sonic over the edge yesterday, it seemed their routine was more than capable of making a comeback. Sonic's hands rested against the other's hips as he turned towards him. He was inwardly pleased he was reacting so favorably to his advances this time.

He savored the taste of the other's mouth and let his tongue ravish his with leisure. He didn't let it last for too much longer before he trailed down from his mouth and started kissing down Shadow's neck, enjoying the intimate encounter he encouraged their behavior towards.

One hand slipped from Shadow's waist, sliding against his lower back to idly caress him. His teeth pinched the skin on his neck, no doubt teasing previously made hickeys hidden behind his dark fur. This new direction caused Shadow to purr from the back of his throat into one of his blue ears as he lifted his head instinctively. A fire built in his chest and shot straight down, making him decide this wasn't such a great idea.

Desiring to earn the same reaction out of the other, Shadow took a strong grip on his arms, pushing himself just out of reach and Sonic roughly against the couch. He took only a second to recover, diving into the subtle curves of the hedgehog's neck, and began nibbling and flicking his tongue against his lower neck, experimenting to see what gained the greatest reaction. He listened for changes in Sonic's breathing, and pressed his body close, feeling for any movement he might rouse in him.

Blue's hands forced Shadow closer so his legs could wrap around him, immediately offering a teasing squeeze around his torso (and ignoring the pressure that resulted from his still-sore back). He didn't really predict where Shadow's aim was until he felt his warm mouth violating his neck, making his head tip back for more. His breath hitched in his throat as his eyes nearly squeezed closed; slitted to offer the ceiling a rather saucy look while the other hedgehog indulged himself.

A purr that rivaled Shadow's previous one fell from his lips as his legs squeezed him tighter, encouragingly. A hand rose to rake nails lightly against the back of his head, sliding towards an ear to tweak and caress.

With his hands back on the other's shoulders, Shadow moved up a little, lapping at the groove just behind Sonic's jaw. The contours were smooth and pleasing to his tongue, despite the fur he had to force to lay flat in order to enjoy it fully. His nose brushed Sonic's cheek as he drew back, bringing himself back to face the other once again.

He offered a short little nip to Sonic's lips before putting himself at risk by raising his head again and exposing his neck, taking in his scent as he gave his ear a tentative lick.

Sonic massaged Shadow's ear up until he felt his tongue on his. His ear twitched as he derived pleasure from seemingly every action Shadow decided to deal him. He let go of the triangular digit, a devious smile contorting onto his face as his hand trailed down Shadow's side, eventually reaching his rear end. He gave it a playful squeeze, making the black hedgehog growl a gentle warning, before Sonic took advantage of the exposed neck in front of him. This time when his lips closed over his skin, his teeth delivered a sharp bite. The ear flicked out of Shadow's mouth, driving a light gasp out of the hedgehog. Shadow gave his second low-pitched warning, using his tongue to bring Sonic's ear back into his mouth and bit equally hard on the sensitive flesh. He didn't do this too long, and began sucking on it lightly to make up for his roughness.

One hand clenched Shadow's waist, nails pinching lightly against his skin in reflex to the previous bite sustained. Sonic tensed briefly with a grunt before running his tongue over his neck, lapping over where he bit seconds before in fear he'd bite again. Not that the pain didn't feel oddly arousing.

The blue hedgehog bucked his hips up, trying to stir more friction in their lower halves. His other hand rose from Shadow's bottom and ran up his back, in between quills in another idle caress all the while his ears caught (every now and then) compliment after compliment pouring from the TV before the show went to commercial.

Dizzying was the best way to describe the effect of Sonic's grinding movement, and it took Shadow a moment to shake it off as he huffed reactively into Sonic's ear. His tongue ventured down, circling at the base of the ear, whispers of each of Sonic's breaths driving him mad. Not wanting to fall prey to the other's intentions, he finally snapped back, panting as hungry crimson fell to the hedgehog's features.

It was then he realized that the TV was still on, and he contemplated turning it off, but right now he had to catch his breath, keeping an eye on the other in the meantime. He relieved Sonic of the extra weight by slipping his hands onto the couch on either side of his chest, still not speaking a single word.

Sonic leaned his head back, relaxing beneath him as Shadow took the time out to breathe. His lips spread into a half smile as he stared up at him with heavy lids, a seductive look radiating off his features as his eyes bore into the other's hungry pair.

"Having fun?" His smile strengthened into a knowing smirk. His hands rose to both of Shadow's ears, massaging them carefully. "Come on, say something." He cooed alluringly; knowing the other wasn't a candidate for sex talk, but he was tempted to see if he could get a few words out of him anyway.

"Tell me what you want to do."

Shadow's head leaned back into the other's inviting hands, eyelids fluttering closed after what seemed like an internal struggle. "Hmm...," he half-purred, half grunted in thought, "I want you to shut up to begin with." One eye managed to find its ability to reopen, focusing intently on the one below him. "Tell me, do you do this sort of thing to anyone that allows it?" He wouldn't be surprised, considering how eager the hedgehog was but he didn't give time for a response as he pulled free of the touch, "Nevermind, don't answer that, but..." He drew himself nose-to-nose with Sonic with what might be a glare. "You're awfully pushy, you know that?"

Though he didn't show it much, Sonic bristled at his first question, offended he'd think so. Or maybe he was teasing? He couldn't be sure but before he could respond he was asking him something else. Their closeness proved to be a mild distraction from his earlier thoughts as he stopped caressing.

"Maybe you're just easy to push around."

"Then perhaps I should stop being that way?" Shadow questioned in a sincere tone, pushing himself up and away from the other, separating their bodies down to where Sonic held their hips close. He wasn't being entirely serious, but he wasn't willing to let the other know that as he pretended to make his escape from Sonic's clutches.

Blue ears pinned back as he let him attempt to move away from him. His legs slipped off of him but the second he was leaning back, Sonic lunged forward, forcing his weight down on Shadow so the other was on his back, copying Sonic's former position.

He stared into his eyes, contemplating what to say, and whether or not it should be something perverted or something witty to counter Shadow's previous remark. In the end, it wasn't either. "Do you really think I'd do all of this with just anyone?" He looked honestly curious, unsure of what Shadow would say, and still in the dark about what he thought about any of this (since neither seemed willing to put it on the line yet and admit anything).

Shadow blinked at Sonic's expression before he spoke, then found himself glancing off to the side uncomfortably. He wasn't sure. He thought maybe Sonic might, but he had nothing to back up whatever suspicions he had. "Ah. Not really." Per se.

Bored eyes came back to the other as he squirmed beneath him, a bit uneasy. He wasn't sure he trusted Sonic on top of him like this. It gave the other too much access and himself too little room to fight back.

Not knowing what else to do with his hands, they came to rest on Sonic's waist as he fell back into the apparent staring contest with him.

Sonic wasn't sure if he was happy with his response but he wasn't going anywhere. He wriggled in between his legs, getting comfortable. His groin pressed against his as his fingers flexed at Shadow's shoulders, intent on keeping him down despite whatever struggles he was faced with.

"Would you?" He arched a brow, an amused look flickering in his eyes due to his trick question. He waited for him to respond as he shifted his hips, pressing forward and grinding lightly against Shadow's lower region. This brought a bright tint of red to the black hedgehog's muzzle as he gaped before tearing his eyes away to stare at Sonic's chest, and the color only intensified with the friction below. He didn't think about that before, and his obvious reply startled him, as there wasn't the slightest question in his mind, where there should have been. "Of--of course not." Perhaps it was that he'd grown even the tiniest bit accustomed to doing this with the other, and it seemed a good deal wrong to do so with just anyone.

Besides, Rouge had him feeling guilty enough just with Sonic.

He wondered if his response was the right one, but he felt that it was probably not now that he thought about it, and feared Sonic would see him as, well, needy maybe. That was the best way to describe it. Whatever the case may be, he hoped he didn't really have anything to fear.

Sonic smiled, happier with this answer. He continued to move his hips lazily as he lowered himself closer, his mouth kissing the corner of Shadow's lips. "Interesting." He purred, an almost cocky look igniting its self along his features.

"What does this mean, I wonder." He nuzzled his cheek against Shadow's as a hand started to wander lower between them, fingertips rubbing smoothly over the other's sheath as he ceased wiggling his hips.

"Looks like you might actually like-like me after all."

Shadow avoided Sonic's gaze as he leaned in almost taunting him with that kiss. His ears relaxed slightly as he felt himself being nuzzled, and he glanced over at the outline of the other's head. He suddenly grew tense again as it dawned on him what Sonic was up to, and a fire shot through his groin at the touch. He flattened himself out as much as possible, almost burying himself into the couch cushions.

"Nng-hahh!" he protested, trying to arch his lower half away from the contact, resulting only in cornering himself further. "Do-don't be ridiculous! It has nothing to do with that!" His eyes squeezed shut as he turned his head to the side, not desiring another kiss to break his spirited efforts against the other.

Sonic kept his fingers put, enticing him further as he began working his fingertips in a circular motion, all around his sheath to thoroughly stimulate the area.

"Oh?" He grunted skeptically, not so easily convinced. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Shadow." He kissed the other corner of his lips as Shadow tried to turn his head away from him, not about to be eluded. "Don't be scared to admit it. I might even actually return the feelings. After all, we don't do this for just anyone, right?" For emphasis, he dipped a finger into his sheath to brush against the head of his concealed member.

Shadow winced, starting to breathe with more and more difficulty in response to the continued advances on his southern region. "There's nothing to admit," he grunted almost silently as Sonic kept talking. Suddenly, electricity shot throughout his body, making his eyes shoot wide open as he let out a choked gasp. He panted heavily as the sensation began to properly register with his body, filling his member with blood.

Shadow fought an internal battle. He was caving again. He should be much more difficult to control. What a disappointment. He had to think of something to slow his mind down, but the more he tried, the more he thought about why he needed to, and the more aroused his body became.

The head began to slip out of his sheath, disobeying the silent commands Shadow was screaming at it, and he let out a guttural whimper, deciding it was best he made his real escape now, before he fell into the cycle of illogical thinking again.

He moved his hands to Sonic's upper arms, pinning them to his side as best he could in this position, trying to force the hedgehog up and off of him. By then, Sonic had already noticed the other's member beginning to expose its self, and another toothy smile lit his face. It briefly transformed into a frown, however; as Shadow tried to remove him.

He pushed back, straining his muscles in effort to stay on top of him. "Stop resisting, you liar." He hissed, a lustful growl making his voice sound deep and husky. "It's all a little pointless by now. You've done it your way, mine is much more fun. Why deny yourself what you want so badly? What's the point." He nipped his lower lip as his eyes locked with his, intent with undying determination.

Shadow growled back, tilting his head a little as Sonic teethed at his lip, glaring back with a touch of arrogance. He pulled his face away enough to respond as his body collapsed back against the couch. "I can't hand myself over every few minutes just because you have no self-control, hedgehog." But he did have a point. His problem lied more in the way the tables had turned.

There might be something that Sonic could be trusted with, but Shadow was firmly planted in the belief that this was not it. He was no stranger to pain, but he didn't forget what happened when Sonic forced himself upon Shadow yesterday, and he certainly knew he couldn't handle Sonic's talented little mouth. Even so, he'd risked the other getting hurt the same way a couple of times himself, and he thought perhaps it was likely he had gotten hurt but wasn't willing to admit it.

Speaking of which, Sonic's back pain seemed to be a thing of the past, considering how strong he was against Shadow's resistance. It truly was unfair.

"Looks like you already have." Sonic's hand returned to its earlier position as his fingers pinched the tip of Shadow's exposed length.

"Now be still and let me show you what I can really do..." He trailed off as he started to slip down Shadow's frame, careful to backtrack in case he attempted to get up. His eyes stared towards his face as his mouth began to leave kisses down from Shadow's furry chest, to his stomach, to stop just above the other's groin.

Crimson hid behind clenched lids while Shadow mentally cursed himself. He could tell he wasn't getting any limper at this rate. Just the closeness of the two kept the blood flow overpowering his mind's orders. He opened his eyes again to shoot Sonic one last glare. This was all his fault, really. He hoped the other knew that he was to blame for Shadow's fuming misery.

He let out a grunt of mixed pleasure and disapproval as Sonic left feathery kisses along his torso. Shadow focused very intently on regaining control of his breathing before all of his concentration was thrown out the window. His eyes glazed over as he stared, realizing Sonic was most likely finishing what he'd started night before last before he cut him off.

It was warm in far too many ways to make sense, and made Shadow melt easily under the other. He felt his erection brush along the other's breastbone and throat as it had along the rest of Sonic's body, and he shivered at the lingering sensation.

Sonic's hands grasped onto Shadow's thighs as he forced his legs further apart, giving him plenty of room. He gave him one last kiss before leaning his head back to get a good look at the extending member protruding from Shadow's sheath.

"Mm... You're growing so big." He grinned lewdly, wrapping his fingers around his shaft. He leaned his mouth down closer, breathing against the moistened tip. "Tell me to suck you. It must be a real burden enduring something so hard." He gave him a teasing squeeze as he waited patiently for Shadow to comply or resist.

The striped hedgehog bristled at Sonic's choice in words, glaring openly at him, "Shut up!" He was doing no such thing. Still, Sonic was right about one thing. He was filled out completely by now, and it drove him insane that he still had no power over his own body. Shadow closed his eyes for a moment, brow furrowed bitterly, attempting to regain his composure. He knew it was probably another waste of time, but he had to at least try.

Sonic undoubtedly enjoyed pissing Shadow off, and he knew if he kept reacting so angrily it would only encourage the behavior. Still, that warm breath and tight grip were both awfully inviting...

Like he predicted, it encouraged Sonic further to get what he wanted out of him. Blue pressed closed lips against the tip of his member and prodded the sensitive tip with his tongue teasingly. It only lasted a couple of seconds before he lifted his head back up, his hot breath taking place of his succulent lips and talented tongue once more.

"Say it."

Shadow bit his lip, rolling his head back automatically, huffing deeply through his clenched jaw. When Sonic let go, he snapped his head back up, bitter expression returning as he propped himself onto his elbows, "I'd rather not." Sonic may be able to drive him insane with his touch, but there was no way he was giving in to such pointless commands. To reassure Sonic that he was wasting his time with such trivial demands, he scowled angrily.

Despite the look, Sonic kept a casual expression on his face, making it a point to show him just how much he was ignoring those hateful looks and remarks. You'd think by now he'd figure out that just wasn't going to work on him anymore. He knew better.

"Oh? So then you'd rather me give you commands? Is that it?" Sonic chuckled softly and paused to flick his tongue out over the head of his member, giving it a few, good hard licks. "I just thought you'd want a little bit of control here but I guess you'd rather feel vulnerable."

Shadow's ears twitched as he fought the urge to display his body's reaction, and he found himself forced to give in again, eyes squeezing shut before he knew what was happening. Again, Sonic stopped, and his length ached even more. His chest heaved as his eyes fell upon the other. "Who's giving commands here? You're the one that's been doing it so far! This is ridiculous." His whole body was crying out for more. Sonic's playfulness was almost too much for him at this point, but he couldn't give in. If he gave Sonic what he wanted, he'd only double his efforts in the future. It was best to cut out that behavior while he still could. If it wasn't already hopeless.

Sonic snickered, finding his whole resistance futile and amusing. His hands massaged Shadow's inner thighs, still depriving him anything more but the teasing hot breath wafting over his sensitized dick.

"Then stop whining and do something about it. How about you take control? Or are you afraid?" Again, he teased, waiting for the right reaction - if he'd even get it. Regardless, it looked like things were falling in his favor. He had Shadow under him, and judging by how hard his erection was, he wasn't going to be going anywhere without dealing with it first.

Shadow continued to breathe heavily under the pressure his body placed on him, but gave Sonic a flat look, growing as annoyed as he was hard, "You're pulling that card again?" A low, irritated growl sounded as he closed his eyes slowly, then, "I'm hardly afraid, faker. Just do whatever you're going to do; I'm getting bored with your persistence." Well, there was a command. Sonic should be happy, right? Probably not, but it was still a command.

The blue hedgehog huffed and once again squeezed his shaft with one of his hands. It was a little harder than before, intent on getting his attention. "I'll do whatever you want me to do. So what is it?" He uttered casually, letting his tongue drag idly over that tiny slit, over and over again. His other hand slid up from his thigh, kneading the skin all around his sheath, indulging him in another massage.

At this point, Shadow didn't care. He really didn't. He just wanted more, of something, anything. "Nn." He slowly began to sink off of his elbows, eying that tongue with increased hunger. Couldn't Sonic figure out on his own what to do? He arched into the touch, grunting a throaty, "Just do something." He didn't know what else he was supposed to say. He simply couldn't handle going without any longer.

His mind began to cave in, not wanting to fight anymore, and his hips bucked forward instinctively, begging for more by gesture alone.

Sonic closed his mouth over the head of his penis casually and sucked on it once. He tipped his head back, an obnoxious sucking 'pop' resulting from the action. Sonic continued to stare at Shadow all the while, lust clearly in his eyes, but he forced himself to hold back a little longer. His hand continued to rub the area around his protruding length as the fingers of his other hand flexed gently around the otherwise neglected shaft. Something that'd undoubtedly feel better with Sonic's mouth on it too.

"Do what exactly." He grunted persistently before leaning back down and kissing the side of his member, just above one of his fingers with his warm lips; encouraging him further to play along or else risk the absence of such arousing sensations.

Shadow breathed audibly, brows slanting back as Sonic teased him yet again. Why was that bastard doing this to him? This wasn't fun by any means. He was trembling with anticipation for something that may never come, but he longed for it so much. After a threatening growl Shadow raised his head, fury in his eyes. "I don't care, damnit! Anything!"

The enraged expression slid from his face as he panted, turning to one of need, "Please." He didn't know what else to do; barking the command of 'suck it' seemed too harsh, no matter how he rolled it around in his head, and he honestly didn't mind doing it any other way Sonic had in mind as long as it felt good. He just wanted more, now.

Blue was rather surprised that he begged. He wasn't sure when the last time he's ever heard him say that or if he has at all. Shadow wasn't exactly one to beg. But he supposed that was enough for him to comply. He wasn't that cruel.

Nodding, Sonic focused his attention on Shadow's downstairs. He took him in his mouth, removed his hand as he felt his cock slide over his tongue and nearly hit the back of his throat. Without giving him any warning or time to prepare himself for what was about to unfold, Sonic started sucking, hard. He did it time after time again, swallowing around him and letting his tongue flex freely against the underside of his member. His hands went back to his inner thighs to cling to while his mouth did all the work.

Shadow shivered underneath the other as he was taken into the mind-blowing heat, the intensity of the temperature change driving him to arch his back, giving better access to the area between his legs. What started as a lustful moan turned into a cry of surprise, however, as Sonic mercilessly ravaged his member. He shook violently, grabbing onto the couch wherever he could with such a grip the fabric began to tear a little on the underside of the cushion.

Shadow worked hard to catch his breath, a barely audible moan escaping with each forced exhalation. He couldn't process what was happening exactly other than that it felt good, and that Sonic would be in deep shit if he thought about pulling that stunt again.

His noises slowly faded away as he struggled to think clearly. To find any sign of civilization left in his brain, and he really couldn't be sure, because what his mind was screaming at him made no sense, but suddenly he realized he was reaching for the other's head, sinking his fingers into those ears, driving himself up deeper into Sonic's mouth, whether he wanted it or not. It caused him to grimace faintly from the merciless grip. Somehow Sonic wasn't expecting him to do that. His hands had been pushing down on his thighs to keep him from arching too deep in his mouth but the second his head was forced down closer, he felt his member slide the rest of the way inside his mouth, shoving its self forcibly in his throat. An action that made Sonic squeeze his eyes tight and nearly gag.

He struggled to relax as his muscles flexed around Shadow's invading length wildly. He resisted, trying to lift his head back up so he could gain more control over the situation and not choke. Shadow let go, even though he'd thoroughly enjoyed the warmth encasing his erection. His hands fell by his side again as he rocked forward towards the other before collapsing entirely, leaving it up to Sonic again. His ears laid flat back in the confusing mix of feelings rushing over him, and he managed to open his eyes, watching to see what would happen next. He wasn't sure if his actions called for an apology or not, but he was too breathless to conjure up any words at the moment.

He was glad Shadow let go. He'd have to pay more attention to his upper half it seems so not to fall victim to that again. The second he was given mobility, he lifted his head up so that the tip of his member rested in his mouth. He breathed heavily around it, catching his breath after Shadow's abrupt actions. It didn't take him long to recover as he kept his hips still in order to thwart any future efforts to rock them up.

He kept his eyes on him, watching his arms for movement as he started to bob his head, sucking a bit more lightly at this point, perhaps giving the other time to adjust this time. The eye contact caught Shadow off guard though, resulting in a uncontrollable pulsating below as he looked away automatically. Shadow couldn't deal with watching if Sonic was going to be watching him. That was almost too much.

A burst of air slipped past his lips as the blue hedgehog began using effective, fluid movements against him. He let his head fall back, eyes flickering out of sight as he choked back another cry. The heat was unbearable, and he twitched his hips in an attempt to satisfy his body's cravings for more. Instead, he found that Sonic was holding him down fairly firmly, and the pressure he achieved in his attempt sent yet another powerful wave throughout his body.

His mind didn't help things much; even with his eyes closed he saw those hauntingly green eyes staring at him, that tongue lashing across his body, and he could think of nothing else no matter how much effort he put forth. He felt himself losing the battle entirely; his hands dug into the couch again, seeking any kind of relief from the sensations that shook his body and mind so violently, causing his muscles to tense and ripple below Sonic's expert motions.

Unable to take the intensity coming at him from what seemed like all sides, Shadow gave one final thrust against Sonic's upper body, fighting whatever restraint the other had upon him. He felt himself grow rigid, trembling at the power of his own muscles tensed against his body, until he felt himself drained, and not just of energy. Shadow's body fell limp as his member twitched and forced the last few drops out of itself, and he gasped for air, wondering why the hell his brain seemed so fried.

Sonic's head continued to bob as he drove Shadow further and further to the edge. The sucking increased ten fold by the time he actually needed to release. His cheeks were sucked in from the intensity of it all, giving him absolutely no mercy when he suddenly felt his dick twitch and his body tense beneath his hands. He knew he wouldn't have lasted much longer but he didn't bother moving away. He kept his mouth right where it was, accepting every drop of his load and swallowing it down in just a couple of gulps. None of it appeared to trickle out and in case it did, he gave his retreating shaft a quick lick over before Sonic sat up straight, and leaned his back against the opposing arm rest. He sighed, looking satisfied as if he had enjoyed a very good feast. In a way, he did.

Shadow groaned in agony as he tried to move, making the discovery that there was just no way in hell his body was going to let him do anything until he gave himself a rest. As he caught his breath, the ebony hedgehog risked a glance at the other, who looked as smug as ever. Which reminded him of how absolutely pathetic he'd behaved in the past few minutes. He'd even sank as low as to beg, in his opinion.

He let his eyes close and as his breathing evened out, he decided to take it easy for a bit. Never could anyone make him feel so exhausted as Sonic did. It was ridiculous.

Blue patted his leg, reassuring that the exhaustion he felt now wouldn't last forever. Meanwhile he turned his attention towards the television. The segment about him was already over and a regular news broadcast was on. It wasn't very interesting though.

Pretending that what just occurred hadn't, he reached for the remote to begin channel surfing again casually, giving Shadow some time to himself. No matter how much he wanted to gloat, he wouldn't. At some point, he'd like these events to happen a little less forcefully on his part. You'd think by now, after giving him a taste of all of this, Shadow would be coming to him more often. The guy was a lot stronger willed than he would have thought, especially about something that seemed futile to resist at this point. It was obvious, no doubt, to both of them that they felt something for each other that wasn't just hate or spite. They were mixed up in a relationship that wasn't about to go ignored. Not if Sonic could help it.

Shadow forced himself into a sitting position, placing both hands between his legs for balance as he hunched over, glaring at the other. Sonic was acting like none of this was in the least unusual, and yet he seemed offended when Shadow suggested that he was comfortable enough to do this with anyone. It really made him wonder with that casual attitude of his. He narrowed his eyes, moving closer and leaning in toward the other's face, bored expression taking over his features. "I hate you, you know."

Sonic looked back at Shadow as he started leaning towards him. He arched a brow, not sure what to expect. He blinked dumbly for a second at the obvious lie, or what he was convinced was a lie, and responded with further unpredictability.

He leaned the rest of the way in quickly, giving him a quick peck on the lips before leaning back again and ignoring him once more for the television. "Of course you do."


	10. Enter GUN

Shadow scowled at the other's reaction, letting the kiss go without an external response. He snatched the remote out of the other's hand, flicking the television off and tossed the controller in one fluid movement. He looked over at Sonic, his eyes growing mischievous as he considered getting even.

"Let's go out." The suggestion caught him by mild surprise, making the black hedgehog arch a brow and lean back again, looking the other way.

"Let's not," Shadow grunted, pressing himself against the opposite side of the couch against the arm rest to illustrate that he was reluctant to get up after their ... activities, so soon. "Going out" usually meant spending money anyway, and lots of it, which made him skeptical. If Sonic had the same idea of going out as Rouge, he would be using Shadow. If not, what was the point?

He supposed Sonic might want to go for a run or even race him, but competition was far from his mind, and though he seemed to be doing better, he doubted Sonic's back would comply that much in such a short time. Besides, if he wanted action, he could wait and go to work with Shadow tomorrow for all he cared. They liked to send Shadow in to do all the physical work.

Sonic frowned, not exactly liking this sluggish attitude; he supposed he could be partly to blame. When his mind was set on something, he couldn't imagine letting the idea go so easily, however. Though he didn't say anything else right away, he stared.

Red eyes popped open as he felt the eerie sense and glanced over his shoulder to stare back, then gritted his teeth in frustration. Now what? He was just going to watch him? Maybe he should get up, go to his room; anywhere where the other wasn't. One thing was for sure, he may never be able to quite understand the other's motives, but it was a winning bet to guess that he was up to no good.

Scoffing lightly, Shadow turned his head away from him, propping his elbow against the top of the arm rest while he had just managed to fully restrain himself from the activities they just did; he wasn't breathing nearly as hard as before and the exhaustion was slowly lifting away to this unease and frustration. It was strange just being watched like that. He decided to vocalize his curiosity, but not without gruff undertones, "What?"

"I'm bored." Said simply enough. Sonic kept the same casual look on his face, almost as if he expected Shadow to do something interesting. He doubted it. But for now, he could stand sitting here.

A low, irritated growl broke through, and Shadow tensed. He was supposed to entertain the bastard? Hardly. Though he did have an urge for revenge to get even with him after what he just put him through, he had yet to follow through. Shadow shrugged his shoulders up dismissively; hoping to let the hedgehog know it was not his responsibility to keep him amused. But Blue just scooted over next to him, sitting awfully close. He could feel Sonic's hips press against his and it made him tense immediately. Silence lingered in the air for about a minute before the blue hedgehog spoke up, certain to have something interesting to say. "What's your favorite thing about me?"

Shadow tensed again, not sure how to respond. He could still feel those eyes on him, too, doubling his discomfort. He didn't want to get up and leave, but he wasn't so sure he wanted the other to, either. His mind was really doing an impressive assault on itself.

It took a moment to register what the other had said, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to answer with the first response that came to his mind. He failed miserably, shooting it back at the hedgehog, anyway, "How you're so persistently irritating."

"Oh." Sonic actually expected worse but he could accept that. He didn't find it too insulting despite the other's intent.

Once more the air got quiet between them but Sonic's gaze never strayed. Hesitantly, he reached out and took one of Shadow's ears between his fingers, giving it a soothing massage. The pad of his thumb ran a circular motion over it as he pondered how the other might react. He tried not to let him verbally. "Want to know what my favorite thing is about you?" Shadow fought back a reaction as a pink tint came over his face. He couldn't help but tilt his head over just a little, secretly enjoying the massage. He hoped Sonic wouldn't exploit the simple gesture and start joking about it, but he wouldn't put it past him.

Being very careful not to make any noise, he took a deep breath and exhaled, then flicked his ears automatically as Sonic caught his attention again. "Probably not."

Shadow's ear flicked out of his grasp for a second before Sonic went back to massaging it with practiced ease, apparently knowing just how to do it, just how to touch. Green eyes stared at the triangular digit absentmindedly rather than Shadow's face, a little disappointed he wasn't curious at all.

Nudging himself even closer, he wondered just what he'd say. Everything he disliked about Shadow was part of the alluring appeal that created such an odd connection he had with him. He never really thought about it before but now that he had, he found his answer rather amusing.

His hand stopped massaging him as his arm went over his shoulders. He looked away, his voice lowering in volume. "Everything."

He could feel the other's body tense from there, freeze completely, as Shadow's eyes opened wide. Color rushed to the black hedgehog's cheeks. Shadow knew he should probably feel a lot more suspicious now, but for some reason he was too distracted by trying to figure out what it meant.

Probably nothing. He blinked over at the side of Sonic's head. It was just intended to drop his guard. He could think of no one that truly enjoyed his company, simply because he kept to himself and no one knew what to do with that. Sonic, however, forced himself into the situation, whatever it may be, without much of a hitch. He didn't seem to have a problem with Shadow's silence for the most part either, aside from what he said earlier.

Which reminded him. He wasn't sure how much should still be kept to himself quite yet, but he started feeling guilty. His lips parted weakly, hoping he would start to understand over time how awkward Shadow felt around others. He couldn't begin to react outwardly to this situation. He was just too shocked that Sonic would even say something like that, whether he had ulterior motives or not.

Sonic wasn't sure what to expect from him either, but he supposed he enjoyed the silence more than if he had insulted him for saying such a ridiculous thing. The compliment seemingly came from nowhere but he was glad he said it. It was really the first time he had said something nice to Shadow without sounding sarcastic, or trying to get something back in return. He wondered if he believed him.

He felt a little awkward now but he didn't want to get up and excuse himself anywhere else in the apartment. He tried to think of something else he could say, maybe to lessen the tension he suddenly felt in the air, or maybe that was his own paranoia. In the end, he was just left staring at Shadow again who didn't let their eyes meet for long before he closed his own, feeling a little obligated to do or say something without the knowledge of what it may be.

Shadow's ears drooped as he exhaled slowly. He felt a little of his tension go away, but not much. He didn't know a damn thing that was going on. He was suddenly very afraid of his own reaction to such a silly thing. It wasn't as if Sonic had said anything particularly meaningful. Anyone could tell a simple lie, if that was what it was. But Shadow found that he actually trusted the hedgehog on this matter. Something he wasn't used to doing.

"I.. ah.." He started to tremble, and caught his spiraling descent of control quickly, freeing himself from around the other's arm and scrambling out of the room. He hurriedly rushed into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him, and tried to calm his nerves. Perhaps he was fighting the other too much for him to handle. The last time he shook this violently, he'd killed a man, and he couldn't bear the thought of hurting Sonic just because he was so unstable.

Needless to say, Blue was rather surprised at his abrupt departure. He wasn't expecting that reaction at all. A frown briefly sketched its self across his face as he started to stand to go after him. Why was he upset? Did he annoy him again? Shadow often left him second guessing everything. Just when he thought he had him figured out too.

Sonic headed over towards the bathroom, unsure of what to say. "Shadow...?" Sighing, he tried to perk up, bring more of his sense of humor into this and lighten the situation somehow.

"Oi, did you have to go that badly? You kind of ruined the mood, ya know."

Shadow froze at the sound of the other's voice, heart racing. He couldn't properly think. He was entirely certain whatever he felt like was misleading, dangerous. It didn't really make sense, no matter how he looked at it. He was being paranoid. Everyone else had faith in and trusted Sonic, so why couldn't he?

Why did he need to? He was self-sufficient. Well, almost. But he wouldn't let himself starve to death before he ventured out. You had to learn sometime. But that had nothing to do with this. This was more than a dependency for survival. This was an empty feeling similar to the blind lust. Perhaps another side of it? He wasn't sure.

Swallowing thickly and calming himself as much as possible (he could have sworn he'd just looked for an escape.. how miserably weak), Shadow moved away from the door a moment, staring at the knob.

He followed back into his first train of thought. He was being too cautious about all of this. Causing himself to rise in a panic. There was no point in that. Surely Sonic wasn't so bad that he'd pretend he really cared, then.. Well, he had seen all of these Earth people do it many times, and Sonic did grow up with them. For at least some of his life. He wasn't sure how long he'd been out on Westside Island which was a good bit more isolated... but...

Shadow opened the door, prepared to ask a barrage of questions. To demand to know what this was about. Just how much Sonic meant any of this and he would tell him the consequences of lying. Shadow'd only let himself grow attached to a very small number of people, all of which were gone. And they weren't what you'd call mischievous, whereas Sonic fit that title within most every five minutes of his existence.

He opened his mouth, trying to give the other a determined expression, but it came out as neutral, bored. He wondered just how incapable he was of showing his true feelings on his emotionless face. And before he could even bark his demanding questions at the other, he was turned toward him, dully, dismissively replying to the other, "Sorry."

But he stopped and looked down, back at the other's feet from the corner of his eye, looking for some reassurance that he was still there. He didn't know why he needed that. Still, it boosted whatever failing sense of helplessness he had as he turned back, hooking his arms around Sonic's waist. He didn't look at his face once, just tucked his head into Sonic's neck with closed eyes.

In response, Sonic still wasn't sure what to say. He briefly tensed in surprise and was startled by the simple apology as well; but smiled something reassuring. "Ne, you don't have to..." His cheeks gradually turned a pink hue as Shadow knelt his head against him, allowing him to gradually relax, a softer smile curving his lips as his arms slowly rose and went around him, understanding a lot more than what Shadow might think.

Sonic didn't say anything but did lay a small kiss at the side of his head before nuzzling his cheek there comfortingly. Shadow felt a little foolish to be doing this, unsure what the other really thought about it, but as he was given a reassuring kiss, his arms flexed, bringing their bodies closer together. His eyes slowly opened, and he stared ahead for a moment, letting his thoughts settle into place.

"Mm. ..Hey. How exactly can you even stand me?" Shadow asked, pulling back, furrowing his brow. "Don't get me wrong, I'm satisfied with myself, but most people are a bit.. intolerant of me. Doesn't it bother you?" He was still trying to figure out how Sonic had put up with his quiet nature for the past couple of days whenever they weren't fighting with someone. True, Sonic had turned to the TV more than once, but there were plenty of times he gave his attention to Shadow, who, still was completely ignorant as to what to do with it.

Sonic's arms slipped off of him but his hands clung lightly to the other's waist, not really wanting to let him go. He blinked at him, looking taken aback by the question, as if the answer wasn't obvious.

He smiled once more, this one stronger than the last. More confident, but less annoying than his others. "Now why would anyone be intolerant of you?" He eyed him knowingly, playfully, but didn't let him grow too frustrated by his demeanor. "Nah, you're a lot more interesting than you realize, I think." As open as he was sometimes, he really wasn't good with expressing himself either, or that's how he felt right about now.

"I just know... that I meant what I said. That's all."

Shadow felt his ears flatten against his head as he recalled his own comment to Sonic earlier. He felt a bit guilty about his sarcastic remark, but he didn't know how to point it out without apologizing again. Too much was too much, Shadow knew that.

He pursed his lips, following Sonic's line of sight. It was a bit unsettling in this particular occasion to have this concentrated silence, and he finally added, "I didn't. I was just a little irritable." By now Sonic should know that this was true most of the time.

Desiring to get out of this uncomfortable tension, Shadow slipped free of Sonic's touch, slinking past him and into the living room. He stopped near the doorway, refusing to look back, "Shall we go out, then?"

Sonic's ears twitched, his face brightening. He quickly caught up to him, ready to walk out after him. "Of course." Once they got their shoes on and were actually outside of the room, he locked his arm around Shadow's with a feral smile. "So then... What is your favorite thing about me?" Shadow closed the door behind him before his arm was caught and he froze for a minute, ears cocking back a little bitterly. So this was the game, was it? Sonic couldn't keep these things between the two of them.

Shadow sighed and resigned himself to this fate. If he was expecting to share in the other's company at all, he supposed he could deal with this for now. He actually started to think on this, not answering immediately as he tugged against the hold in his steady pace down the corridor. Feeling a tad lazy he led the other into the elevator, ready for the simplified eight story descent. "Mn," he grunted uncertainly. "Do I have to answer that?"

"Depends on your answer." Sonic arched a brow at him, still holding onto his arm and reluctant to let go right away. Seeing as how Shadow enjoyed it so much. The other snorted in acknowledgment, taking the response for what it was - a demand for his answer, but turned it around instead. Feeling the slightest of smug looks pull at his features, Shadow turned away pointedly, giving an air of casual dismissiveness. "Well, then I'll take that as a 'no'." He watched the numbers slowly roll by in his peripheral vision, waiting for the reaction.

Sonic huffed with an exaggerated pout. He let go of his arm and looked away, pretending he didn't care. He let silence stir between them for about two floors before looking towards him from the side of his eyes and speaking up again. "It's my dashing good looks, isn't it?" A proud smile twitched at his mouth as a snicker bubbled in his throat.

Shadow countered easily, shooting a glance at the other with a dark smirk, "Hm. You said it, I didn't. I had no intention of insulting you that terribly, to be honest." Whatever Sonic had expected from Shadow, he was sure to be disappointed. He was probably betting on him getting all flustered, but he hadn't even thought of taking the remark seriously.

The elevator began to slow down at the last level, and Shadow brushed past Sonic, still looking successfully smug, and walked into the lobby. The other blinked, not expecting that response at all. Sonic narrowed his eyes but gave up the thought of getting revenge; and walked out, catching up to walk alongside of him. "Alright, alright. Fine. I'll give you that one. Simply because I win too many arguments with you already." Sonic gave a glimpse of his own arrogant demeanor to rival Shadow's but moved on quickly.

"What do you want to do?" He could eat, he'd suggest it. But maybe Shadow would have a better idea, considering he wasn't that hungry.

Shadow had considered checking on the Emerald, but this was Sonic's outing. He figured it would be up to him for now. He didn't mind so much as long as Sonic didn't start abusing this strange little relationship that had formed between them, as Rouge had, and start demanding more than he ought to dish out. Especially considering he had a broader understanding of how much some things cost thanks to the hedgehog.

"Your call. What were you wanting to drag me out here for in the first place, if you didn't know?"

"I could go for a bite to eat." Not really, but he couldn't think of anything else when asked so fast. He'd come up with more to do later. To be oh-so charming, however; he made a suggestion. He pointed a thumb at his chest. "My treat." He owed Shadow a couple of meals after all. He could at least spare some cash once on him.

Shadow's lips parted slightly as he stared at Sonic for a moment, considering all of this. Hadn't he just eaten? Was he mistaken? No, he was pretty sure Sonic had just had something less than an hour ago. He was surprised Sonic offered to pay, but it didn't do him much good since it hadn't been so long ago that he'd eaten as well. It may have been a ridiculous choice but the blue hedgehog was known for having a big appetite and two measly slices of leftover pizza just wasn't enough.

Shadow eventually nodded, "Alright."

Sonic didn't tell him where they were going, he just led the way. He increased his pace from a walk, too impatient otherwise; and to test just how sore his back is. Too sore for a race, which had came to mind; but instead Shadow was taken to what appeared to be something Mexican.

They stopped in front of the doors as Shadow looked into the dining area of the restaurant. It was dark in there, which was good in some ways, but he still wondered if there was a logical explanation for that. Blue once more took the lead, heading inside, with him following behind.

A hostess took over from there as Sonic held up two fingers, getting her to lead them to their seat, to a table that already had menus situated on it.

Sonic sat down and looked around at all the decorations, pinatas for instance hanging from the ceilings. It was all cheaply done but the food here was pretty good.

He didn't have to look at a menu to know what he wanted but he supposed he'd have to in order to choose something for Shadow. "Have you ate here before?"

"Eaten," Shadow corrected, after sitting down, then shook his head, "and no." At least, not here, that he could recall. It wasn't really important to him at this point, anyway, and he hoped that the other wouldn't be offended by what he intended to do.

Sonic assumed he'd be choosing his meal for him again and didn't mind as he opened the menu and started looking around. Considering he was buying, however, he made sure not to select anything too expensive. Being a freedom fighting hero didn't pay nearly as good - or at all - as what Shadow makes.

"Hello." A waiter introduced himself, a name that flew over his head, since Sonic wasn't really paying attention. "Would you guys like something to drink before you order?"

Sonic spoke up for the both of them. "Two Aqua Fresca."

The waiter nodded and slowly walked away as the blue hedgehog turned his attention back to Shadow, already having in mind what sort of meal he'd order for him. Until then... to help get him a bit more interested in their outing, a coy look appeared on his face as Sonic rubbed his foot up against Shadow's leg, towards his thigh. Amusement flickered in his eyes.

Shadow snapped out of his trance, the contact causing him to stare stupidly over at the other. It was still warm from friction, stirring realization of what was happening a bit more slowly. His expression turned quickly into a glare, and he uncrossed his legs so that he could lean to one side, swatting under the table at the stray foot. He bared his teeth just once, hoping to get the point across.

As an added measure, he scooted over to the wall, trying to keep himself from being directly in front of the other. Maybe he'd be less likely to try anything at a different angle. "What are you getting?" he asked boredly, letting his face relax once more in his attempt at conversation.

Sonic snickered to himself at the expected reaction but left him alone for the time being. "Soft taco." It was cheap and tasty enough. He was considering ordering him one too. That, or a chicken quesadilla.

Giving a grunt of acknowledgment, Shadow leaned slightly against the wall, lids drooping as he went back into his previous line of thought. He really needed to go watch the Emerald soon.

An arm had draped around him. How Sonic managed to move so fast along with his chair he didn't know but blamed it partly on what he was thinking about prior. A raunchy grin was on his face, making Shadow cock his ears back aggressively. "Or I could just have you." Blue cleverly added. Just when Shadow was ready to spew his two cents worth, the waiter appeared.

He sat down their drinks, blinking boredly at the sight of the two and waited awkwardly to write down their orders. "Would you like to order now?" His accent, though before wasn't too bad; thickened ever-so slightly in mildly broken english.

Sonic glanced up towards their waiter with a charming smile. "A soft taco and a chicken quesailla for him."

The waiter nodded as he wrote down their orders on a notepad he retrieved from his apron. "No. Wait.. I--" But Shadow found himself ignored as the man left their table.

He glared at Sonic. The man probably wouldn't have been so short with them if he hadn't been making a show of hanging all over him. Finally he pursed his lips, deciding to pipe up now. "I wasn't planning on you actually ordering me anything." He turned his attention on the direction the waiter disappeared off to.

Now, though, he realized that this probably wasn't the best way to break it to the other, and a touch of guilt clung to him despite how frustrated he was. He still couldn't be sure how rude it was to turn down a meal like this.

Sonic arched a brow at him, meanwhile ignoring Shadow's discomfort of having his arm around him, something he left there as long as possible. "Oh come on, I'm not that poor." He could afford to buy Shadow a meal. Sort of a way for paying him back for the food he practically stole from him before. He smiled devilishly as his other hand landed nonchalantly on his thigh, a dark twinkle in his eyes. "Or did you want something else?" The way he said it of course sounded a whole lot more suggestive than it should.

"No," Shadow barked with a pink tint on his cheeks, hand moving to Sonic's dangerously straying one. He squeezed it a bit roughly as he moved it away, letting gravity take hold as he uncurled his fingers. "On second thought, I'll have whatever you ordered."

By now, Shadow got the general idea very well. He wasn't sure what the purpose was, but he was coming to terms that Sonic didn't know the difference between public and private matters. That was probably why he was so awkward around reporters and avoided the paparazzi like the plague. Perhaps Sonic wasn't as accustomed to the city life as he once thought.

He still didn't like the game, 'see how fast you can embarrass Shadow.' Or maybe pissing him off was the goal. It was all the same.

He'd eat what he could anyway, but there was no way he was forcing himself for the sake of making Sonic happy.

"What the hell did you even order me?" He looked back at Sonic from the corner of his eye, still not looking too happy with the situation.

Sonic leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. "Trust me, ne?" If he didn't like it, he decided then and there he could always get a 'to go' box and take it to Tails. If he hadn't agreed, he supposed he would have gotten it anyway then. He reached out and grabbed his drink to take a sip of, realizing he hadn't since it was sat down in front of him.

"Mm," Shadow replied emptily, staring at the drink before him. He slid it over to him, taking notice that the waiter had failed to do so, and rested his fingers on the rim for a moment before folding his arm in front of his elbow on the table and put his drink down.

It wasn't long until the waiter returned. He had their meals and sat them down in front of them without so much as a word towards either of them. He walked away, finally giving Sonic something to do. His attention immediately went towards his plate but he eyed a fork and the taco, wondering whether to use silverware or just try to pick the overly large taco up with his hands and pig out.

Shadow blinked at the ... well.. it was almost a sandwich, in front of him. He took a drink of the water before him, a bit surprised at how it tasted, then set it back down.

He caught a glimpse of Sonic's food before lifting a piece of the quesadilla. It was plenty of trouble to hold it, as the contents clearly would rather ooze onto his gloves and back down to the plate, but he managed to get a small bite. And he was grateful it was such a small bite. The molten cheese burned his tongue immediately, and he calmly set the piece back down, pursing his lips as he decided whether it was a better idea to get another drink or to let it go down first. He opted to wait and see if he would be alright without it.

Copying Shadow, he reached down, managing to take up his taco a bit better without too much lettuce or cheese spilling out. He took a much bigger bite, his meal not nearly as hot as Shadow's apparently was.

Once he swallowed it down, he sat the taco back onto the plate and eyed the other curiously. He wondered if he liked it at all. "Good?"

Shadow wasn't entirely sure, to be honest. He felt like an idiot now that Sonic was asking; he should have known better than to just try and eat something so obviously hot. And maybe it was good, because he had gotten a small taste of it, and from what he could tell it wasn't bad. But over his numbed tongue, there wasn't much to confirm that.

Not willing to admit his mistake so easily, however, Shadow looked down awkwardly, "It's alright."

Well he was glad Shadow liked it then. His money wasn't going to go to waste after all. Sonic continued to eat his taco in the meantime, trying not to be too messy about it. He hasn't eaten here in a long time.

"Are you going to the Island today?" He asked after swallowing another bite, oblivious to how hot the other's meal must be for him to eat so slowly.

Shadow continued to stare at his food for another minute, hands tucked neatly in his lap, before trying again. He blew at it a little and took another bite, risking a slightly bigger portion. It came off a bit more cleanly, and Shadow was glad it had cooled down a bit. He found that, yes, it was good, and wished he hadn't eaten earlier, so that he could enjoy this better.

Hearing Sonic pipe up, he set the 'sandwich' down neatly and took another drink. It was much more refreshing after the quesadilla, and he took a large gulp before turning to answer his question. "I should."

But was he going to? Sonic supposed he should as well. That left blue wondering what he'd do. He wasn't planning on following Shadow to the island right away, especially if he intended to go after this meal. He felt the desire to run and be a little more free than he has been confined with him over the last couple of days. Not that it had been entirely miserable. He'd definitely be checking up on him later.

Sonic took another bite and swallowed it down before taking a drink. "Hopefully Eggman won't try to steal it again." He uttered idly as he sat the glass down (though wasn't so naive to think he wouldn't), secretly hoping he hasn't already while it had been left unguarded all this time. He doubted it though considering how recent his last plan got foiled.

Shadow felt guilt wrench at his insides as he continued to avoid looking at the other. Taking a final swig from his glass, he set it down slowly, then stood. "I'll.. I'll be back in a minute." Without giving the other time to react, he pushed his chair in quickly and started for the exit.

Sonic lowered his taco at the abrupt exit, giving him no warning at all. "Where..." He really couldn't get the question out before he was already walking out. He blinked, looking obviously confused. Where was he going?

Shadow walked briskly to the corner, jogging into a run, then kicking on his jets in a long stride. He noticed they still weren't as powerful, slowing him remarkably more than earlier. He knew he'd told Sonic he'd be right back, but he had to get to Angel Island. It wasn't until Red Mountain, bright from the afternoon sun, peeked over the horizon that Shadow realized what was happening to his shoes.

He came to a halt outside the cavern entrance, spewing obscenities. He was being drained of his Chaos Energy. Why hadn't he thought of this before? He couldn't be Guardian! He'd already lost his powers, but he couldn't lose his speed, too! This was too much.

Now doubly determined to make it to the island, Shadow kicked off the rocks, diving into the cold darkness of the caves as his breath spiraled out into the air, left behind in his panic. Taking Sonic's previous route, Shadow barely made it to the ledge, skidding through dusty rubble as he frowned at the Master Emerald. And gaped at Rouge.

"Took you long enough." She smiled.

Within seconds of Shadow's absence, GUN took action, surrounding the restaurant with compact mechas and other military vehicles. Topaz stood by the Commander, looking determined, but uncomfortable. "You'd really listen to him, just because he's family?"

"Distant family. It has no effect on how I act against criminals." The Commander glared at her with a golden eye, "And you'd do best to shut your mouth if you like your job." He took a step forward, a calm one, and heard several objections from his men.

He spun around and snapped, "All of you, shut the hell up! I've been doing my job since before most of you were born. No punk kid is going to pull anything over on me! Back down and respond only when I call." He felt a hand on his arm and snatched it away, reaching for his gun, "Even you, Topaz."

That said, he stepped into the restaurant, where, by now, Sonic had surely noticed something was amiss. Two soldiers followed him, and guarded the doors, one shouting, "Everyone stay in your seats!"


	11. Understanding Chaos

Sonic was tempted to go running after Shadow. He had a feeling he wouldn't be back right away like he said. Something was obviously the matter and somehow he had missed it. Why else would he just run off like that and not say anything to him?

Looking down at his taco, he decided he'd leave it, though bitter he had to pay for both meals, both of which went to waste. Just when he was starting to fish out the money though, he realized there was some particularly strange noises outside (like the whirring of overly loud engines and machinery). He didn't really grasp the concept until the commander and two soldiers stepped into the restaurant. Sonic looked pretty surprised.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Despite the abrupt presence of the three (and ignoring the guy yelling for people to stay in their seats), he looked as casual as can be, wondering if they were looking for Shadow.

Others present in the restaurant, however, weren't so relaxed. Everyone looked freaked out and did what was told.

The Commander frowned, clenching his fingers tightly around his gun. "Men. Escort these people out. And you, Sonic the Hedgehog, why don't you stay where you are, and let's make sure none of these innocent people get hurt?" His arms were stiffened by his side until he gradually bent his elbow, itching to aim at the hedgehog, but he knew it was best not to alarm any of the diners as the two soldiers started helping them out.

Sonic's eyes narrowed, not exactly liking his choice of words. He kept an otherwise cool expression, however, as he watched people being escorted out. He was afraid he might be trigger happy with an obnoxious remark like that so he stayed where he was, at least until the rest of the civilians were out of the restaurant.

"You're expecting something sinister from everyone's favorite hero?" He looked at him skeptically.

Sighing heavily as if it was a real burden, Sonic stretched his arms and relaxed his hands behind his head, making it a point that none of this seemed to bother him. If the commander thought he looked intimidating, he was wrong. "If you'd like, I'll spare you a few minutes of my time. But make it quick."

Once the building was double checked and the men gave him the clear, the Commander raised his eyes to meet Sonic's. "Care to tell us what you're up to now? Why is it, pray tell, that you need so many weapons?" He raised the gun, ready to fire if the hedgehog moved. "Did you think we wouldn't notice? That no one would report you?" It made him sick to know that Shadow had gone along so willingly and sold them to this monster. He'd actually believed Shadow was different.

Sonic blinked, looking utterly clueless for a second. It appeared more of his time would be wasted than he realized, an unnecessary disappointment. He gave the commander a disapproving stare, not at all pleased by these accusations. "You've got to be kidding." He grumbled out the side of his mouth and removed his hands from behind his head. He was tempted to leave these guys in his dust but hated the hassle of what that would cause and mean. How could anybody doubt his loyalty after all he's done for everyone for so long?

"And just who exactly are you getting this information from?"

"It was all just a matter of time." A familiar voice came from the doorway belonging to a particular egg-shaped body. Ignoring previous orders, Eggman had entered the scene with a smug look on his face and a devilish glint in his eyes, there to be the loyal back-up for these courageous army guys. He also didn't trust the time it'd take the Commander to scare Sonic out of here nor trusted the idea that Sonic wouldn't talk him out of this.

"It's just not safe to let someone have so much power. You never know when they'll turn on you and grow selfish, lust after their own desires." Eggman clearly indicated towards Sonic who grew tense in his seat.

He glared at him, gritted his teeth and stood up, ignoring or forgetting about earlier orders. "Eggman!" Sonic scowled; just what did he think he was pulling here?

The Commander watched the villain's entrance from the corner of his eye, feeling much like his moment of glory had been taken away. "Doctor, I appreciate your help, but at this point I'd rather just arrest him and end it at that." He clicked the hammer of the gun into position, holding his arm steady despite his age. "Let's go quietly, boy. None of us want any trouble." He was well aware of the hedgehog's speed and power; that was what the mechs were for.

"You're going to believe him over me?" Sonic looked at him incredulously, wondering how big of an idiot he must really be. There was no way he was complying to this stupidity. Eggman looked as amused as ever of course, stifling one of his ridiculous laughs. "Just listen to what the man says, Sonic. You don't want this to look any worse on you than it already does." The hedgehog growled in his throat, mind racing. He'd have to get out of here and rethink his course of action with a clearer head; but he was well aware of the backup they must have outside. None of that daunted him in the least. He'd escape and figure things out from there.

Sonic dashed towards the nearest window, curling his flexible body into a spiny ball at the last second to break through it without cutting himself. It all happened so quickly, the Commander had very little time to fire, but unknowingly, Sonic had played right into Eggman's plan.

--

Rouge stood up and twirled teasingly, swinging her hips as she descended the stairs. "Now, you will think this is genius, so you've just GOT to hear me out." She sounded excited as she stepped over to him, smiling as innocently as she could, which still looked very sinister. She stopped, legs spread just beyond shoulder width, blue eyes sparkling.

Shadow lowered his lids as a hand fell to his shoulder. He didn't know why she was acting so gossipy, but he did know, "I'm not giving you the Emerald."

"Ugh, Shadow, you're so simple." She looked disgustedly over at him, her wings folding against her bare shoulders. "Give me credit, would ya?"

Rouge turned back to the Emerald, smirking all the while. "I just got off the phone with Doctor Eggman, you know. Nice guy. He thought you had potential, but you're just a tad soft. We both agree you being Guardian is a fluke."

"If this is about--" he started, in a soft tone, suspecting there was more to what she was saying.

She whirled about, interrupting him. "It's not. Don't... ever... suggest that again." After a cold glare, she let her hands drop from her hips. "I didn't mind partnering with you, but you're ridiculously selfish off the clock, you know that?" Couldn't she even share in his riches a little?

Rouge locked eyes with Shadow, knowing he was ready for her to attack. She moved her hand cautiously to her hip, sliding out the cell phone slowly from it's case for him to see, then flicked it casually open, pressing two buttons before holding it to her ear. Whoever she was calling, she had them on autodial. "Hello, Doctor. Shadow's with me."

He laid his ears back, knowing he'd have to use sheer body strength to bring the scientist down. He was still confident he could hold his own, however, and watched out of the corners of his eyes for Eggman. Bristling slightly, he took a cautious step back.

She clicked the phone shut, dangling it between two shapely fingers. "What are you looking for, Shadow? You're still concerned about the here and now, aren't you?" She smirked with painted lips, licking them as if they were surprisingly tasty. Shadow still didn't get it. Here she was, the distraction, dropping little hints, as she loved to do, and these boys always just let it slip right on by. She couldn't help but think this was particularly true right now, when Shadow could see it was just the two of them, and she hadn't run off with the Emerald yet.

"So. I don't guess you've solved the Chaos Emerald problem?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "I was going to do that now."

Well, that changed things a little. She wondered if he'd stay and do that if she left now. It was tempting, but for the time being, she kept herself planted firm between the Guardian and the altar. She hoped things were going smoothly on Eggman's end, as they were for her. Shadow hadn't tried to leave once.

Rouge held him in a stare down, smirking and saying nothing. Shadow returned the favor. He wasn't sure what to say, but as long as he kept her distracted from stealing the Emerald and making the Island fall beneath their feet, he was fine.

"You're such a pawn, Shadow," she said at last. "Think about it. Haven't you noticed anything amiss?" She lowered her head, staring up with a sultry gaze, "Wouldn't I have already taken it if that was what I was here for?" No, she knew better than to do it when there was even the slightest of chances he could stop her.

He opened his mouth to reply, brows furrowing. He had to think about it for a second before he growled, "You mean..."

"Exactly."

"Damn you." He moved to punch her, but she was already expecting this, and lifted off, delivering a swift blow to his jaw with her right foot. He stumbled back, and by the time he looked up she was beyond his reach, soaring back toward Red Mountain.

He watched her leave, recalling the suspicious location he found his last orders. He frowned, wondering just how long she'd been waiting for him. He clenched his fist with an angry growl, wondering just how much was happening while she had him distracted. But.. now...

He felt trapped on this island without his powers. He knew that even if he could get off of here, there was no way he could get back fast enough. He turned, still watching for Rouge out of the corner of his eye until he had his back to the mountains. Dashing up the steps, he stopped at the top of the altar to glare at the glowing rock.

"If anyone asked, I'd have to say it's your fault, choosing me," he growled. "Tell me, what now?!" He rose a hand in the air, slamming it down onto the Emerald with eyes clenched tight.

When he didn't hear the impact, and the air felt relatively cooler, he opened his red eyes and faced Tikal. His eyes widened and he took a step back. Had he struck her instead? He couldn't tell. She seemed sad, but unphased by his strike. Maybe not.

"Why are you holding on so dearly to the powers of Chaos?" Was she begging?

Shadow frowned in confusion, "I can't lose my powers."

"You already have." A busty echidna with yellow fur leaned against the altar behind Tikal. Shadow wondered how long she'd been there. She smirked with a darkness comparable only to Rouge. "You're slow, aren't you?"

He started to argue, but Tikal caught his attention, making him forget whatever he intended to say, "The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power..."

"I KNOW ALL THAT," Shadow seemed a bit shocked at how his voice echoed loudly, thundering and shaking the sanctuary. He winced and relaxed to calm himself, "Look.. I understand what the Chaos Emeralds are. That's why I need their power."

"Why, when the Master Emerald is right there," the voice of an elderly man rang out behind him, and Shadow looked over his shoulder to see a graying old Guardian, one who surely died from age alone. "The controller who unifies the Chaos. And has the power to stop the flow of time itself."

"And Chaos is.." Shadow started.

"Time," they finished together.

Shadow almost expressed his frustration with a choice word. The reason he could use the Master Emerald before, even for such a small moment, was because he wasn't holding so desperately to his failing control over Chaos. And now the reason he was losing control over Chaos was the fact that he wasn't listening to the Master Emerald.

It would be hard, but it was doable. He just had to think the exact opposite. The negative of Chaos. He wasn't sure it would make sense once he started trying, but his body would respond in time, but in how much?

Shadow looked back at Tikal, "How long can.." He stopped. They were all gone. He found himself on the ground below the island and looked back up at it. Had he used Chaos Control, or had they done it for him? He couldn't tell, but he had to get back to let Sonic know that something was happening.

He raced off without a problem, but he wondered just how much he could control any of his other powers.

Rouge ducked behind a boulder as she saw a black streak leave the bay. Her wings and tail brushed the iron rich rock face, and she waited a moment before flipping open her phone. She dialed for Eggman, hoping he'd pick up so she could warn him Shadow was on his way.

Back in the city, the Doctor had just left the restaurant with a certain rodent in mind. He was followed by the Commander, some glass having caught in his clothes from the hedgehog's quick escape. He massaged his shoulder as blood started to soak his uniform, still trying to aim his gun at Sonic. The second his feet had landed on cement, Blue was kicking off the ground and jumping between two tanks. He was thanking his lucky stars his back pains weren't enough to hold him back otherwise these quick maneuvers would have been impossible to pull off.

However, Sonic didn't predict the alien looking machine waiting in the background, at the very back of the line-up, taking up the city roads. Three tanks, countless army men, four helicopters, and ten or so Eggman robots and vehicles were present in front. He had enough distractions to avoid without even considering what Eggman had built for him this time. But he did have something in waiting.

Sonic landed near an unsuspecting military agent before jumping again to finish hurdling over the remaining obstacles in his way, aka military vehicles. His escape was very short lived.

Suddenly, he was hit with a blinding light, and his muscles tensed. He felt himself falling like a stone into the pavement on the other side of the street as Eggman's invention hit home, an uncreative looking robot that shielded the generator that harvested the same energy from the other day behind a thick steel plate. It was only capable of using the limited supply from saved energy of the Master Emerald one more time. The loss of control felt almost painful as Sonic struggled to endure and override it from sheer will power.

His eyes glazed over as he started to succumb, much like Shadow had done before, giving his arch nemesis just the time to witness it, an evil laugh ringing in his throat. The Commander watched as Eggman's own creation caught Sonic right in its beam, and lowered his hand, relaxing, "What, did you kill him? That was unnecessary, but you do what you must." That wasn't the case, however.

Sonic rose shakily to his feet, hands clenched to his sides. Eggman went closer, stopping several feet from him, ignoring a certain phone call inevitably from Rouge as she left a message. It was too late now. He had ignored the Commander too at this point, seeing as how it was obvious Sonic didn't die. No, he was very much alive, and the look on Eggman's face couldn't be more wicked.

"Rest assured, Commander, you won't have to worry about Sonic any longer. He's under my control now."

Said hedgehog turned towards them both, an unreadable look on his face as his fingers flexed, an unseen inner battle with himself commencing as his body moved forward to stop in front of Eggman. His head bowed respectfully, indicating what the other said was true. But what to do with him now? "I think Sonic needs a little... test run..." And maybe he told a little lie to the Commander just now. There was a lot to be worried about.

Eggman stepped forward, lining himself alongside the blue hedgehog as a maniacal glint lit his eyes, and a whisper fell across his lips. "Destroy them all."


	12. Eternal Darkness

Shadow raced all the way to the train station before trying Chaos Control. He skidded on the railing, eyes burning with determination as he slowed to a shaky halt, still having to re-master his jet skates. "Chaos.. Control!"

Nothing.

He shouldn't need an Emerald, right? But.. then, did he need to be near the Master Emerald to do it? No, maybe if he was just in a close enough range of a Chaos Emerald, that would suffice. Or perhaps he still hadn't gotten his thinking on track. He was still bent on getting his powers back, and that had been slowing him down before.

Without giving himself any further time for thought, he sped towards the restaurant, hoping nothing especially terrible had taken place yet, despite what he knew. Rouge wouldn't have taken off like that if she wanted him to stay back. That made Shadow come to a complete stop, only a few streets back from his goal.

Did she want him to go back? Was he being set up for a trap? He couldn't help but think that it could be the case... but he pressed on, anyway.

He felt a fleeting sense of relief when a GUN mobile unit came into view, until he recalled the letter. He grew worried they had a part in that. He could tell even before he rounded the corner, there was some sort of battle breaking out, and he immediately worried for Sonic's safety. Sure, he could handle a couple of these guys easy, but this many tanks and mechas, and this much gunfire spelled trouble.

Especially considering one unit didn't exactly fall under the same category as the others. Shadow had full access to military vehicles, and he'd never seen it a day in his life. Making sure to keep an eye on it, considering Rouge let him know Eggman was involved, he dove in blindly to the center of the circle. His jets kicked off in front of the restaurant door, dropping him with a crunch of glass beneath his feet, and he found the Commander tossed aside like a ragdoll, with Topaz screaming orders at the men by their side. She seemed to be handling the situation well enough for him to let it go for now.

In the corner of his eye he caught Eggman, grinning much too wide for his taste, and with a screeching of crushed and shredded steel, he knew where Sonic was. The only problem was.. whose side was each on? It seemed both Eggman, judging by his grin, and Sonic were fighting GUN, but why was Eggman's machine not taking part?

With the barrage of gunshots and missiles, all aimed at the now downed tank in an attempt to destroy Sonic, Shadow couldn't hear himself think, and he was trying to question the logic behind diving in to the ring of fire to pull Sonic out and ask. He had faith in Sonic's speed, however, and expected he'd let Shadow know what was going on in some manner within a matter of seconds.

After bursting out the side of the military vehicle, shredded metal going everywhere, it had erupted in an explosion as Sonic shot past Shadow through the air, a determinedly crazed look in his eyes that wouldn't ordinarily be there. Shadow reacted by reaching out as if to literally grab his attention, "Hey!" But Sonic treated him as if he were invisible, and he instantly knew what was happening.

As Sonic's feet made contact with solid ground, Blue nearly stumbled at the missile that fired and narrowly missed him, grazing the peach fuzz on his stomach.

He smirked, unphased and apparently unaware of the darker hedgehog as he headed towards another military vehicle, this time to use to throw with strength he strained to possess due to past injuries. He was being so careless, you'd think maybe this was going to be one-sided. He was already noticeably scratched up.

Meanwhile, Eggman was heading back towards his invention to seek refuge in while all of this was occurring. He'd get a good eye's view of everything going on from there without worrying being in the line of fire.

Shadow took off after Sonic, trying to call out to him over the noise, but it was just too loud. Judging by the way the other was fighting, he was going to be stuck cleaning up a few more cuts than before. Quite a few. It occurred to him that his real target should be Eggman, and he smoothly darted back through the open fire, catching a glimpse of him making what appeared to be his timely escape. He growled, heading straight for him when he was cut off by an unexpected blow to the chest. He tumbled back onto his spines, blinking up confusedly at a robot. "You've got to be kidding me!" He stumbled to his feet, jumping to avoid a second assault, and landed on its 'head'. He didn't have long to look for the Doctor before he was thrown back again, this time by another mech.

Were they crazy? Just how much had those two scumbags run their mouth? He hissed at a pain in his shoulder, this time seeking out Sonic. He was sure Eggman had time to get away by now, and this was too much artillery for the hedgehog to take on.

He caught just a flash of blue and dove after it. When he caught up and found Sonic engaging himself with yet another machine, he grabbed onto his arm, forcing him about to face him. "Stop this, you idiot! You can't win like this!" And Shadow wasn't stupid enough to start helping take down GUN. He was well aware of the consequences. Smoke soiled the air as the booming of artillery and distant human cries rung out. The blue hedgehog was ready to cause as much commotion as possible.

A pain surged through Sonic's chest as he visibly flinched. His eyes grew pale, his vibrant green hue beginning to fade into the whiteness of his eyes.

"Shadow..." A voice, torn between his actions escaped from his mouth, making Shadow's eyes widen at the tiniest hints of hope ringing through. That is, before a tight fist followed, slamming into his chest as he lost another ounce of control, and a darker energy started to fuel his war path. Shadow's hold on him at that point failed as he stumbled, glaring for good measure.

Well, Shadow concluded as he clenched the white fur on his chest, Sonic was certainly feeling better. He made the guess that was about the last time he'd like to get hit there, and coughed to put an end to any shuddering breathing he'd started. Taking only a split second to recover, Shadow dodged more bullets by less than an inch, and felt himself ushered forward by the explosion of a missile right on his tail. As tempted as he was to attack Shadow again, Sonic was immediately distracted by even more bombardment of ammunition being fired in his direction. He did a clever back flip to avoid being impaled by bullets, and immediately his clouded eyes searched for his new target, a single military agent. Before he had the chance to attack, however, Shadow interrupted.

The black hedgehog had hooked his arm around Sonic's chest. Doing the only thing he could think of, he began to try and pull him out of combat, kicking on his jets as he slid in and out of giant equipment. He held tight, hoping Sonic wouldn't slip out of his grasp before he could at least get them out of the dead center of the mess.

What he got was a glare and an eerie smirk from the influenced hedgehog. Shadow's teeth clenched as Sonic's fingers sunk into raw flesh, purposefully seeking out skin already tainted to be sore, like the other's chest. Fingernails were dragged in roughly but the body Shadow held onto started to shake violently.

A black aura began to waft off of him as the green color from his eyes was practically nonexistent. His coat of blue fur started to turn, changing into ebony that matched the other's coat. He fought relentlessly for control, ending up unleashing something more powerful than he could deal with.

"Dammit," Shadow spat, holding on as long as he could, but his body screamed at him to react to the surging pain, and at last, he did. His arm snapped back, slipping free of those undesirable nails. He spun about to face the hedgehog, eyes widening at what was happening to him.

He'd never seen Sonic take on this dark aura before, and he searched once more to the Doctor, hoping for some kind of explanation. But he couldn't see where he went. He wondered if he might have taken refuge in his own machine, but he was too preoccupied to find out.

He threw a warning glare at the other, jumping to the side to avoid more fire. The army was already heading their way, and he'd only managed to get them a block away.

Sonic's hands clenched into fists at his sides as the dark energy rolled off of him like thick, ominous smoke. He stared relentlessly, itching to release this built up power, and with him in his way definitely wasn't a good thing.

In a split second, Dark Sonic lunged forward, forcing his shoulder into the other's as he plowed through him, back into the battle they had previously left with a speed that greatly outmatched his previous record. Despite how obvious the outcome of a fight with GUN may have been before, now it appeared it was one-sided, but Sonic had nothing to worry about.

He immediately dumped off Shadow to continue what he had previously started but for different reasons. They seemed a lot more fun to deal with than one insignificant hedgehog that was in his way. Something had definitely triggered a darkness inside of him and now it wasn't about the control Eggman possessed over him before.

From Eggman's point of view, he had switched to a screen that monitored a closer view of the two previously fleeing hedgehogs; a bad feeling surging in his gut as his hair nearly stood on end at the accidental mess he made out of the former blue hero.

"This isn't good." Eggman grumbled under his breath, tempted to flee immediately or see if he could intervene. From his stand point, he wondered whether or not Sonic was out of range in order to reverse the effects he had on him. Maybe then he might calm down — but the only way of lifting from his control was to do that in the first place. He had no influence over him now whatsoever.

Shocked at how fast the other moved, Shadow's mind was still working when Sonic slammed into his frame. He grunted as he was cast aside like a doll, gaining his footing with a wide step as he turned about with the force to watch him race back into the crowd of what could be plastic army men. He swallowed, mind racing as he took in just how fast Sonic was.

Was that pure Chaos? He couldn't tell, but he was fairly certain that's what it looked like in action. Well, time to test out his own powers. He pushed off the ground with his back foot, going straight into his jets as he darted about, slipping by a missile. He felt a bullet or two whip through a quill, making a touch harder to keep his balance for a moment.

One wrong move, he told himself. It was difficult keeping his eyes this aware; he definitely needed Chaos Control right about now. He hated to admit it, but it looked like it was a free for all, every man for himself, and he had to tear through these mechs to keep up with the black blur. With a low growl that grew into a scream of rage at a particular tank, Shadow managed to pull off a Chaos Attack, slamming into one machine, teleporting behind another to knock it to the ground. He downed four before dropping to the ground, panting on one knee.

He couldn't stay in one place long, however, and jumped back to avoid another barrage of fire. He caught Sonic out of the corner of his eye and attempted Chaos Control, shouting the command to himself, to no avail. "Dammit!" He was trying too hard again. One more try, however, and he had it, keeping pace with the other. He scowled as he threw himself into the hedgehog, hoping to tackle him to the ground.

Whereas Shadow had trouble, Sonic had been avoiding every shot fired at him like this was child's play. The missiles were too slow, nothing seemed fast enough. He was tearing through tanks like they were made of paper, doing an exaggerated job on each one by ripping into them multiple times. An emotionless look was on his face, his mind unable to be persuaded by a currently absent conscience. Shadow's intervention once more wasn't going to deter the uncharacteristic lust he had for destruction.

He rolled with the other's advances, grabbing onto his shoulders and twisting around so that the two landed on the ground, with Sonic on top. The look on his face was like something from a horror film. He looked nothing like the Sonic the other was all too familiar with. Everything about him has changed. Shadow stared up, absolutely horrified at what he saw in the other's eyes. He was still trying to figure out how Sonic pulled off that ridiculous speed when he changed positions.

Dark Sonic grabbed his neck with one hand, squeezing to the point he was dangerously close to crushing his throat. Shadow reacted immediately, grabbing hold of the other's wrist with both hands. He felt the blood flow to his head slowing, the pressure in his temples increasing as his ability to breathe gradually became nonexistent. He squeezed his eyes shut, opening one back to watch the other. He knew there was no way he was doing this on his own... it just wasn't possible.

As he started to stand with him, dragging him up and outstretching his arm so he lifted him off of the ground, it appeared he hesitated before deciding Shadow's fate. Maybe a terribly faint glimpse of control being attempted from inside the cold exterior that presently faced Shadow. Whatever it was, his attention was distracted the second a stray bullet stabbed into his hip, a feeling that went dully noted.

He dropped him and turned, eying the direction it would have came from, pleasantly finding more military vehicles to destroy as pain fueled his fury. Shadow gasped as unexpected relief came over him, dropped to his knees weakly. His head was spinning, but he couldn't stop now. He stumbled to his feet, before he had time to recover, reaching a hand to massage his aching neck. His eyes widened as he began to fully appreciate the damage that was taking place. GUN was dwindling down to their last numbers, even with back up.


	13. Shadow VS Dark Sonic

Shadow swallowed forcefully, finally getting back in control of his body. Sonic was far too powerful; he'd come to terms with that. He actually was afraid Sonic was more powerful than his super form. This was something he'd never imagined he'd encounter in the other, but you had to do what you had to do. He apologized silently to any innocent bystanders - he'd let it get too far, and he'd have to do his own damage to end it.

He gripped a restrainer, twisting it until it clicked loose of its base, slid his hand back, and let it fall. Frowning more sharply, he did the same with the other wrist. He listened to the screams with guilt wrenching inside of him, tearing at his soul, and took in a deep breath as a golden aura engulfed him. "Alright. Let's do this," he told himself, kicking off the ground roughly as he broke into a smooth run on his skates. He raised a hand back, charging an attack that was considerably weaker than usual in this form. Even as he shouted "Chaos Spear!" he knew he was still not connected to the Emeralds as he should be.

He swung his arm forward, hoping his aim was true and the Chaos missiles could keep up with the monster before him.

Sonic was intent on finishing the rest of GUN off before Shadow proved to be more interesting than them after all. He wasn't paying any attention to him until he successfully made a direct hit with the formerly blue hedgehog, forcing him several feet to collide with the ground on his stomach. His back felt charred as he forced himself to stand, appearing as though nothing had happened with no visual displays of emotion, or a cry to indicate his newly acquired injury.

He turned around, his pupiless eyes gazing towards Shadow with malicious intent. He had his attention and earned another attack on his part.

Sonic took off roughly, making the road crack and the concrete explode beneath his feet. He rolled into a ball mid-way towards him, aiming to cause as much serious damage as possible.

With surprising ease, Shadow initiated Chaos Control, feeling the air ripple around the two of them as he dove over Sonic, just a hair too late. The other skimmed across his right leg, and as he lost his concentration, the Chaos Control ended, depositing Shadow roughly on the paved road. He hissed as he rolled over to break his fall, jumping back to his feet almost immediately.

His leg stung, but he knew it would heal, unlike the numerous men that had fallen in this unpredictable battle. He scowled and took off after the other, stopping only when he was sure Sonic was in range. His aura flashed with red, flaring out away from his body. "Chaos..."

Just a second more.. that's all Shadow needed. His eyes widened, almost drowning the blood red orbs in a sea of white. He hoped he could finish the attack before Sonic could respond and stop him. "Blast!"

Sonic's white eyes narrowed as his quills tensed and he prepared for another attack. He pushed off with his left foot and charged forward just before he heard the first word come out of Shadow's mouth. He realized what he was doing but in a confident fit of rage intended on reaching him first.

Unfortunately he initiated the blow before he had a chance to stop him. The blinding red light flashed forward so quickly, he had no choice but to face it head on, his hand just inches away from Shadow's throat. In that instant Sonic was forced several yards back by the powerful wave of Chaos energy, causing his teeth to clench and grind as he landed on his back, his quills tearing through the asphalt like the road was made of paper.

His chest heaved in a grunt as his mind told his body to get up but hesitated, his dark expression masking any discomfort he suffered from the blast; and undoubtedly left with injuries. There were numerous cuts that the eerie black aura and fur seemed to hide (not just resulting from Shadow's newest attack of course). The blood that was visible just made his appearance seem more frightening.

How long could his body keep radiating such energy and endure such a violent prolonged battle? Apparently he was doing well so far.

Shadow doubled over for a second, panting from the force of his own attack. He gulped down air before uprighting himself, forcing his legs to tear back into a sprint that transitioned to a glide, moving smoothly over the uneven rubble, robots, and even bodies. He kept a calm exterior, not one to let the strain on his body show aside from the mild trembling of his frame.

He had to admit to himself, this was a bit much. He was used to controlling Chaos Energy like it's sole purpose and existence was to serve him. Now that he was having to work against his natural body and thought processes, it was leaving his body a lot more worn than was typical. Despite his exhaustion, however, he forced the energy to flow into his shoes, flaring the jets with angry determination. This was the Doctor's fault, and Shadow would see to it the Doctor fixed it.

He couldn't remember exactly which way he'd seen him try to sneak off to, but he sped up the side of a building, searching the cityscape for any sign of the massively conspicuous mech.

It wouldn't be hard to spot it. Eggman was taking a long way around as if doing anything possible (and he was) to avoid the disaster Sonic was creating in his wake while heading back to his base. He didn't want to be part of that carnage after all, and the massive machine was trampling through city streets, left ignored. He must seem pretty unimportant right now compared to the events taking place miles back the other way. Police cars and sirens were blaring down the roads, undoubtedly heading towards their doom.

Once Shadow caught sight of the robot, he left his temporary post, sliding down the face of the building with his jets clicked on full to slow his descent. He hit the ground hard, leaning in to the wind as he took chase. It was a matter of seconds before he was alongside Eggman's mech, screaming over the thundering steps and whir of the machine. "Doctor! Stop; I need to speak with you." Or he'd stop the robot for him, if need be. At this point, he'd do anything to avoid the certain outcome of Sonic's rampage.

The machine came to a screeching stop as Eggman's concerns immediately went to Sonic and his whereabouts. What was Shadow doing here and where would the former blue hedgehog be? Had he been too much for him? Maybe Sonic had been stopped already?

"What do you want?" Came Eggman's voice through a loud speaker hidden somewhere inside the robot, sounding disgruntled and worried. He glared at Shadow through a monitor on a console that he sat in front of, operating the controls to manually move the android about, unlike before when it attacked Sonic automatically.

"You know what I want. Whatever you did to him, fix it." Simple, right? What, did Eggman think that Shadow was too unintelligent to piece together the source of Sonic's transformation? "I don't expect you to do this the easy way, but I will give warning that you'll be doing it in the end, anyway." Fighting Eggman would be nothing compared to Sonic.

He was afraid of that. Apparently Sonic was unchanged since he fled the scene. Eggman sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, wondering how long he'd keep this up without intervention. "I'm afraid I'm not the one controlling Sonic. He's doing this himself. He must've used this as a last result when I was trying to..." The volume of his voice dropped dramatically as he wasn't sure he wanted to admit the blame of causing this mess. Even if it might have already been obvious.

"I've only seen him like this on two other occasions." He said grimly and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "There's nothing I can do at this point. You're on your own." While torn up about hurting others and doing Eggman's dirty work, the irony of it now was that Sonic used his power to stop himself, and then started a new wave of disaster his dark side was enjoying.

"But.." Shadow looked down. When he looked back up, his features were strong with determination. "What did you do to him, then?" He'd already given himself away a bit, "Control him, right? Perhaps if you reversed whatever you did.." This was still clearly beyond his comprehension. Sonic wasn't like that on his own. There was no way he could channel that much energy on his own, at that. As it was, it took a lot out of Shadow to match that without...

No. That was a last resort. Shadow couldn't control his power if he went that far, and he certainly didn't think there needed to be any more damage done than had already taken place.

"I tried, it didn't work." Eggman grunted, a little exasperated and sounding rather rushed. He was paranoid that Sonic might be right behind them. Who knows where he was if Shadow wasn't watching him and what he might intend to do. Well, he knew what he'd do, thus why he was in such a hurry to get out of there.

"He's lost control. The times before I managed to talk him down before it got this bad. The longer he endures this transformation, the harder it is to control. The only one that can stop him is Sonic himself... And I'm not so sure he wants to do that yet." There was a lot to the hedgehog than most knew, than any did, aside from the Doctor and the hedgehog himself. Beginning to press some buttons, the machine he resided in started to march forward once more.

"But good luck!"

Shadow gaped. So he was just going to run away. Of course. Eggman didn't mind helping if it benefited him in some way. But right now it seemed it would be less risky for the Doctor if he took his leave. Shadow frowned, clenching his fists. It was clearly his fault, but he was leaving the mess for Shadow to clean up. Otherwise...

Well, he was fairly certain Sonic's friends would show up at some point, but it would be without result, just like with the army. He lowered his head, looking over his shoulder at the emergency personnel streaking past, sirens blaring. What a waste. How many others had fallen as he milked the Doctor fruitlessly for answers?

He spun on his heel, taking off after the vehicles, then glided between them in a seamless curve. He followed the sound of screams, of car crashes as people fell upon one another in the roadway, trying to stop before colliding with the carnage ahead. He followed the sweet smell of blood on the air, cursing how it lingered in his nose, a sign that gunfire met flesh, but if it had struck Sonic, he was sure it wasn't slowing the raging monster inside him any.

The dark hedgehog stood in the middle of the street, accepting any fight anyone wanted to start with him. And if an ignorant police officer or whoever else decided to try to be a hero didn't come right away, he'd force a brawl onto an unsuspecting coward trying to flee away instead.

He tore up plenty of vehicles while he was at it, enjoying the sights and sounds of the explosions he made. However, his thirst for destruction was gradually becoming quenched with no real challenges left; it was like Godzilla hit the place or something of that nature with the damages he caused on property and human lives.

But once he saw Shadow, he was more than willing to continue his warpath. At the same time, he felt a little torn; Sonic still lied inside him, after all. His heart of gold wasn't completely tainted. It was just a matter of time until he took control of things again, right? That's what Eggman indicated but how much longer would it take? An essential question that needed careful consideration before more lives were left at stake.

Dark Sonic stood with a disturbing smile on his face; another bullet had struck him but it went totally ignored. Considering everyone he's fought thus far, he had little injuries to show for it. However, if this had been Sonic enduring this absent from this form, there's no doubt he would've already collapsed from the physical exertion alone to keep him going.

Shadow stopped before him, frowning pointedly. Knowing both that he had to get Sonic away from the city and that the real Sonic was still in there, somewhere, if what the Doctor said was to be trusted, Shadow took off, grazing black against black as he lightly touched shoulders with the other. He looked back, aiming to meet the soulless eyes, shooting a glance that said, "Race me."

How could he resist, after all? All Shadow had to do was lead him away from civilization. He didn't expect to be able to match Sonic's speed. Especially not now. The ebony hedgehog thought about the mountain near the coast, but he soon put that idea to rest considering it's active volcano status. He had to think of someplace, though, and he had to think fast.


	14. Shadow VS Dark Sonic 2

Sonic jetted off almost immediately after him with a burst of speed that caught the ground on fire. Shadow felt the other gaining on him, and initiated Chaos Control, ripping through the time barrier as the world seemed to slow down around him. It was no surprise that the hedgehog kept on his heels, still dangerously close to matching his speed.

Shadow leaned forward, streamlining his frame as best he could with upturned quills, the sound of his own breath echoing in the tunnel he created. As the effect wore off, he tightened his gloves as he caught sight of a car ahead. Hoping to slow Sonic down however he could, he came back to real time with a boost of momentum, diving atop the car. He slid across the roof with one hand supporting himself, mentally apologizing to the driver, and landed on the other side, shoving the car towards the hedgehog in his desperation.

He didn't even look back as he heard the tires skid at an angle across the pavement with great speed, instead continuing to push himself forward toward his decided destination as the buildings grew farther apart on either side of him.

It was a wonder the soles of Sonic's shoes could withstand the impact they had with the concrete he cracked beneath them in his furious run that had him ridiculously close to Shadow already. The car stood no chance against the oncoming hedgehog that simply plowed through the vehicle using one of his arms that had came to lay across his chest to basically smack the car out of his way. A tire and pieces of metal went in the same direction, breaking off the automobile from the force of Sonic's undying fury. It appeared no obstacle could stand in his path without getting demolished in the process.

Shadow's eyes went wide as the bumper flew past to his left. Well, scratch that plan. The only thing left to do was to haul ass as best he could. He was practically doubled over in his attempt to combat the oncoming wind, but was still doing poorly. He wasn't brave enough to take the time to look over his shoulder to see if Sonic had already caught up, intent on letting his Chaos energy recharge long enough to pull off another stretch of Chaos Control.

By now, however, they'd reached the beach near the station, and Shadow took off in the direction of the ocean, flaring his jets enough to support him even if he made it to the water. That was something Sonic couldn't do, and would give him a chance to take a break if he made it.

The ocean was completely dismissed. In this form, he felt no fear, although how capable he'd be of kicking Shadow's ass near the water was a different story. Considering his current state, anything was possible.

Regardless, Shadow didn't get the chance he wanted. Sonic sped up, ending their cat and mouse game faster than the other's liking. All he did was give an extra boost of energy, forcing his legs to pump faster until he was twisting around, and actually elbowed Shadow in the back, between his shoulder blades. The motion was set in a downward direction in hopes of forcing him into the ground or at least knocking him off balance.

He was thrown face down into the sand, skidding along the grainy Earth by his own speed. Shadow could name a few expletives he would've uttered given the chance. However, the likelihood of that happening was swept away as he came into focus of just what had taken place, punctuated by the sharp pain shooting through his shoulders and along his spine. He came to a stop near the pier, spitting the gritty residue from his mouth and taking a chance to open his eyes. They were quickly closed again as he pushed himself to his feet, dusting at them with the back of his hand before he opened them again.

Fortunately Sonic didn't attack him again otherwise it would have just been too easy. The black hedgehog stood several feet from where he hit him, an expressionless look on his face. He could have hesitated for other reasons if you wanted to shed more light or hope into this situation but for now those white eyes watched the other like a hawk, perhaps waiting for him to attack first. There was no way he'd let him run away now but he didn't throw himself at him right away again either.

Shadow turned to meet the other's pupiless gaze, red eyes flaring with malice. If he wanted to follow Shadow's previous example years ago of fighting in the lowest rung of respectfulness, that was fine. After all, he'd intended to do the same in a way, and it wasn't as if Shadow couldn't remember a thing or two about playing dirty.

He took his time dusting off his upper body, matching Sonic's watchful eye, waiting for any sudden movements to alert Shadow to his intentions.

"How long are you planning to keep this up?"

Sonic looked off to the side, very briefly letting him disappear from his line of vision as if he was considering what he had to say. He looked back, still silent, and appearing unchanged. He couldn't deny at this point a part of him wanted to stop but the power he gained from this and the destruction and havoc he caused gave him a disturbing sense of enjoyment. He enjoyed what he did and it was like a drug, as addicting as the mediocre thrills Blue tried to get an adrenaline rush out of from fighting evil, or simply running dangerously fast.

Shadow knew that was the most he was going to get out of the other and offered up a deeper frown in exchange for the response he got. If Sonic would rather fight than control himself, Shadow had to agree that it was more in Sonic's nature to refuse to follow the reasonable path of things. Especially around Shadow.

Hoping he would follow his usual course of action and not be so entirely unpredictable, the striped hedgehog kicked off, sand scattering in his wake as he performed a spindash, curling into a ball and ripping through the earth as he quickly approached the other.

Sonic's ears pinned back as he caught the first signs of what he intended to do. He didn't appear worried in the least but instead kicked off as well and mimicked him with ease. He spun into a ball that sent dirt in the air as he rocketed towards him in a spindash that'd have them colliding head on. No doubt he was just attempting to match the move with brute strength on his part, intent on overpowering him, perhaps even showing off.

Shadow could do nothing but let them meet. He ricocheted off the other black figure, uncurling and diving over the other's body. It wasn't what he had planned, but maybe he could still make it work as he dropped to one knee, spiraling around and extending his palm towards the other.

"Chaos Spear!" He held his place as a shower of light formed, directing themselves at Sonic. The formerly blue hedgehog kept in his current position despite the fact he didn't get the reaction he quite expected or wanted out of the other. He turned around, still spinning like crazy and damaging the ground from every inch he ran over.

He headed towards Shadow again for another attempt, cutting and carving around the golden spears, avoiding each one with expert precision as he continued his aim with scary determination.

Shadow broke his own attack as he saw him come back around, still throwing the earth up into the air. It was almost impossible to spot Sonic himself in the sand-filled air, but Shadow's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the black bur spinning amidst the dust. He scowled, placing both hands before him to block the oncoming attack.

At impact, Shadow felt himself sliding back across the ground. There wasn't enough traction to fight against the other, and as his gloves were quickly ripping and melting under the heat, Shadow found himself forced to let go and give in, crossing his arms over his face as they snapped back from the other's body. He was thrown to the ground and the ending effect of Sonic ripping across his chest with such a speed was not a pleasant one, but at least his face was guarded when the other rolled over him like he was equal to the earth he drove over so carelessly.

Sonic came out of the position to land neatly on his feet with a skidding halt. He stared back at him emotionlessly, tempted to assault him again right away. Once again, however, he gave the other a chance to recover and choose his next move.

Shadow spared no winces as he climbed to his feet. His torso and arms were practically bare from the friction burns, and his fur was singed in places, looking a little unkempt next to his well-cared-for coat. He tried to look unaffected as he calmly removed his gloves, sensing a pattern in Sonic's attacks. Was he toying with Shadow, or was he waiting to see what Shadow did just to beat him at his own game? It made him question what his next move should be.

If Sonic's earlier actions were anything to go by, he wasn't letting Shadow get out onto the water anytime soon. He glanced up at the other between gloves, looking back down to pry a melted portion of the cloth from his skin. What a waste... yet another pair of gloves ruined thanks to the other.

He noted the smug demeanor he appeared to have, "You seem strangely satisfied to be running me over after the past few days." He met Sonic's empty gaze, "I don't suppose you're planning on me cleaning up those bullet wounds when you're through having your fun?"

Once again the striped hedgehog was faced with silence and a soulless expression. Sonic continued to stare as his hands balled into suspicious fists at his sides but continued to hesitate before plunging forward in any manner to attempt another battery.

Thinking was really not turning out to be his strong point when he was faced with little knowledge of what he was up against. Sure, it was Sonic, but his actions were proving unpredictable. Or was it that Sonic was predicting what Shadow wanted him to do? No, Sonic knew him too well. If anything, it was that. Maybe his real problem was that he wasn't treating this threat like the blue hedgehog.

So if this was Sonic, what would be his next move? It didn't take him long to figure out that this was likely a big game to him; that's why he actually went along with Shadow's bait for the race, but didn't let him get to the water. He wasn't eager for the game to end, especially when it was in his favor.

Trying to keep Sonic from realizing what he was up to, he casually took in their surroundings. Not surprisingly, the humans had left the area, probably warned by the police that lined the cul de sac off to his left. Still, he wondered when that happened; considering he'd given the other hedgehog his full attention, the change in environment seemed to come out of nowhere. They were shouting some commands, commands that echoed off the station and the hotel and apartment buildings and were lost as they floated out to sea.

They were reasonably close to Angel Island, and Shadow considered using the Master Emerald to utilize his Super form against Sonic. But that meant going to the other side of the block and breaking through the line of policemen, something likely to spell their doom when Sonic took chase. He bared his teeth, growling lowly at them. Did they have to follow? Surely they understood that if GUN, with their tanks and machines and robots and the General, if they had all fallen, then a simple task force with only bulletproof vests, little white sedans, stood no chance?

Stupid humans and their theory of honor and glory and defense. They were only in the way.

A cynical side of Shadow wondered if this was yet another effect of his failure as a Guardian, if perhaps the Ancients had put him in this situation to see how he'd respond. After all, Knuckles tended to have great misfortune as well... and with his attitude...

But there was no time to think on that now. He came back to his senses and made his decision, stepping over to the pier calmly to keep from alarming the other. It was time to settle this once and for all.


	15. Finale

Sonic always was the impatient one and that patience wore terribly thin. The current situation called for intense conflict, anything to keep fueling his current state. He didn't seem to notice anything about their surroundings. All his attention was solely focused on Shadow. When he just stood there, Sonic inched forward, tempted to attack if he didn't. This was right before the other hedgehog stepped over towards the pier.

Sonic's eyes narrowed as he wondered what he was up to, eager with anticipation. Still, he did not attack, adding a crazy amount of suspense in the air.

He watched Shadow prop his foot up on a wooden post. He'd only done this once that he could recall, Shadow noted, snapping off the first golden ring, and the results were disastrous. But seeing that he really had no chance otherwise, it was likely best. Switching to his other foot he frowned, hesitating as the Chaos energy already had begun to surge throughout his body. The second ring removed, Shadow dropped his foot onto the deck, straightening his back as he faced the other.

Red energy flowed over his body like hungry flames, and oddly enough, Shadow was able to control his sudden thirst for power. He suspected his broken link to the Emeralds was responsible, and it was the first time he was grateful for the change in his abilities. The aura still had a golden tint that flickered in places, and the red was darkest around his hands, which soon were thrown into motion as he broke into a silently initiated Chaos Control. He hoped he was moving much too fast for Sonic to stop and destroy the humans if he wanted to keep up, taking a sharp curve around the hedgehog as he headed for the station.

He went, first, to the hotel, gliding smoothly along the sign above the doorway, bounding effortlessly to the tracks ahead. Ice... if Sonic wouldn't let him reach water, perhaps he would be more likely to let Shadow have the upper hand at the Ice Caps. As far as he knew, the hedgehog held no fear for snow, and if Shadow could get him over a patch of ice.. somewhere... he'd have the upper hand. It would be a match of power... something that sounded rather appealing at this point considering his new drive.

Sonic instantly noted the change but wasn't very disappointed or concerned at all. He was still certain of his victory in the end and this new challenge simply excited him; so he immediately took after him the second he passed.

He was running a lot faster than before but the black blur was keeping up with the striped instigator in front of him. Sonic melted concrete beneath his feet from the intensity of his run and the forceful stomps he ran into the ground, making it quake, and the road crack weakly.

He mimicked Shadow's moves toward the hotel with a bit more grace but definitely left his mark from jumping and landing, inching closer from behind the other as if he was trying to damage as much of anything around him as possible. He currently had no clue what Shadow was planning nor did he really care. He lived for the moment and he had his attention for the hundredth time.

Flashing out of Chaos Control, Shadow dropped to one knee in front of the pool of water right before the ascent to the mountains. The cave walls echoed with the sounds and colors radiating from him, and he took a breather before leaping over the icy blue water, bypassing the ladder with a second jump, catching the ledge and pulling himself into the caverns above.

The very sound of his breathing echoed off the crystalline ice walls, a warm fog curled into the air near his face as he anticipated Sonic's arrival from the same entranceway, backing to face the small hole in the ground.

Sonic didn't miss a beat. It was like he knew everything he was about to do before hand. He never wavered in his course of actions, not once. Everything he did seemed perfect with careful and precise intent that drove him closer to his dark goal. Time was racing against one of them and the climax was swiftly approaching.

The faintest glimpse of warm fog curled into the air near his face as well, but the sound of his breathing wasn't quite as labored, or hard as Shadow's. Sonic appeared where he predicted, heading immediately towards him and not about to allow him to rest this time.

Expecting this, Shadow's jets ignited quickly and he shot off up the slope, quick strides getting him there faster as he defeated gravity with his skates. He jumped just below a large icicle, kicking off the wall and bounding over to a tall ledge. He landed on one knee, but quickly went back to climbing the sides of the cavern.

The icy air stung his throat, forced his ears to stay mobile to keep the blood flowing. As he got halfway up to the wooden bridge-like structure dangling above, Shadow gave his jets an extra dose of Chaos Energy, breaking into a gliding run in midair and cutting across the wide room to the open ledge. He had to use precise movements, had to keep from using too much force to get across, or else it would be too much for his jet shoes to support.

Having reached his goal and expired his Chaos reserve entirely for the moment, Shadow dropped to a crouch, trying to adjust his lungs to the low moisture and low oxygen content of the mountain air. It was like being back on ARK, without an Emerald. Which was difficult to adjust to after living in a basically tropical region for a few years. Given that he could survive entirely on the power of the Chaos Emeralds, it was an increasingly frustrating change, this having to depend on the weaker channel he had to through the Master Emerald.

He watched Sonic, wondering what he would do to reach Shadow. Chaos Control was a possibility, but he wasn't sure if Sonic had been using it all along, or even if he was capable of using anything such as that in this form.

Sonic came to an abrupt halt. Brute strength alone could have accomplished the feat Shadow managed to overcome as the chill of the weather started to take a sudden toll on his body. The energy he first started out with was beginning to diminish, limiting the will to continue this chase, especially with the suspicion of what Shadow was up to and the incredible leaps he made. Perhaps even this wouldn't have stopped him if not for the injuries the blue hedgehog had sustained. His black aura continued to waft off his body, no visible change, while internally was a different story.

Shadow stood, frowning down at the other. His ears came to a rest, pointed forward as if listening to a particularly interesting sound. "What? Bored already?"

He had no clue that Sonic even had his limits. This was the first time he showed any sign of stopping without Shadow in his attack range. Then again, he could be, like before, waiting to see what his next move would be, ready to turn it against him. Shadow licked his lips to help soothe the burning cold, resulting in them icing over when he stopped, immediately causing him to regret the action. "Aren't you going to follow me?"

His demonic white eyes narrowed just slightly. Sonic was even more suspicious at the encouraging inquiry. Of course, he would have been sure enough of himself to continue in that he could overcome whatever trap he might have in mind, but at the moment that wasn't the case. He could tell he was growing weaker and the control was beginning to shift back over to what the real Sonic had been fighting for. Dark Sonic looked disgusted, maybe even a little pained. He turned his back to the black hedgehog as his hands inched their way up, palms facing the sky. An action readily controlled for the first time since he seemingly lost all sanity. Perhaps the chase and the run gave him the opportunity he needed to calm down but he was almost ready to give up this high of intense power. Almost, being the key word.

After a beat, Shadow relaxed his features a little, with no rival to entertain his scowl. Sonic had his back to the hedgehog, and while Shadow couldn't make out what he was doing, it didn't seem very threatening. He walked to the very edge of the archway, raising a brow. "I'm guessing that's a no."

Not expecting any sort of immediate response, Shadow dropped to the floor of the cave, ice crunching under his shoes. Keeping his head high in a lingering show of arrogance, the hedgehog walked towards the other, frown returning.

Absentmindedly he recalled footsteps behind him and Shadow's voice. At the same time it wanted to draw him closer to an abrupt end to this insanity and/or encourage it. Dark Sonic used what energy he had left to surprise the other hedgehog with one more furious attempt at his demise.

After Shadow had came within a few feet of him, Sonic was whirling around so quickly, if you blinked you would have missed the entire motion that occurred so fluidly. Hands were drawing the striped hedgehog close, clenched around Shadow's throat as their faces were distanced just a few inches apart. A demonic grin plagued his lips as if this had been a trap all along.

Shadow had stumbled back by the force alone, the speed at which the other attacked throwing him off balance. His eyes shut instinctively, but as the fingers closed around his throat, he opened them once more, baring his teeth as he watched the other draw them close. His face began to numb as the blood flow slowed, but he could still feel the warm breath of the other contrasting the icy cold. Each time Sonic breathed in, the air seemed a little colder.

His own hands gripped Sonic's arms, first at the elbows as he tried to pull away. He curled a leg between them, attempting to kick the other a bit too late. There was hardly enough room to get any force behind the blow. Feeling the familiar change in pressure, he started to protest, but found his voice had left him, resulting in a dry choke.

Why did he keep coming? He'd taken a beating, that was for sure. Sonic was looking worse than he'd seen him in a while, but he showed no signs of stopping or even slowing. No limp, no strained breathing, no cries of pain. Every attack was countered, every move matched. Even if he passed out here, he knew he would just wake up later, but that could be days, and the last time... well. He'd forgotten everything.

Taking into consideration how far he'd come, and how hard he worked to get here, how violent and angry Sonic was, and how much more damage he was capable of and was likely to do, Shadow had no choice but to get out of this one. Thinking fast, thinking back to what Eggman said, it seemed butting heads with the hedgehog was still unlikely to work. He gave the wrists one final tug before moving his hands to the other's shoulders, pulling himself toward the tight grip.

When their faces were almost touching, Shadow's eyes slid shut once more. Everything was growing fainter, and all he could do was ask. If it worked, it worked. Unable to use his voice, Shadow whispered his request to the other. "Stop this." With an extra sense of desperation, he forced their lips to meet. It was numb, cold, and laced with only a touch of warmth from the other's breathing, but he kept at it until his grasp on Sonic's shoulders grew lax and slid free from his arms.


	16. Sacrifice

Sonic flinched, baffled by the behavior. He couldn't make sense of it but very gradually his hands started to loosen as the pupils of his eyes started to become visible. He suddenly understood the desperation in his whispered voice and could simply not ignore the kiss that accompanied it. He had nearly wasted all his energy and with Shadow's encouragement he just couldn't keep this up any longer. He wouldn't.

He released him just after Shadow's hands slipped off of his shoulders, letting the hedgehog collapse onto the icy ground. His black aura continued to flow off his body but it was noticeably weaker as the hedgehog regained that emerald hue in his eyes and he was once again able to think with a rational conscience.

Immediately he was hit with an unimaginable amount of guilt and pain that ached his body to the core. As the remaining effects of his dark side began to diminish, he felt as if his life was literally being drained out of him, feeling weaker and weaker after every second that passed by.

Shadow stared at Sonic, not sure how that had actually worked, but now he had a new problem to worry about. The other appeared to be growing more aware of himself, but he looked absolutely wretched. He made a guess that the injuries were finally catching up with him, but made no immediate move to support the other, at least not until he was sure that he could no longer support himself, or that the true Sonic had come back into play.

Blue looked highly distressed. It was a mixture of self loathing and physical injuries he sustained causing him to feel even more like shit. The emotional pain he felt from guilt seemed worst to him than anything else.

Sonic's ears drooped as he looked down, eyes distant as he recalled everything that had just occurred, the fight with GUN, the innocent lives he...

"What have I done?"

He was a hero, not a murderer, but despite this he let himself lose control and get swept away in his uncontrollable power like it was a hunger he was desperate to satisfy. He should have been able to stop himself, but the terrifying conclusion was that, at that time, he didn't want to. He enjoyed it and that's what made him feel the most ill.

As his blue fur seemed to paint back over his body in a dirty, bloody coat, his dark aura vanishing, his face was completely pale and he suddenly felt awfully dizzy. His vision started to blur and his knees began to buckle. Unable to keep himself awake, Sonic collapsed to the frozen ground, unconscious.

"H-hey!" Shadow kicked himself over onto his knees, frowning with concern. He didn't look like he'd make it without help, but now he definitely couldn't take him to the hospital when everyone knew what he'd done. Giving the other a gentle nudge, just in case, he pushed up onto his feet, stooping over the limp body. "Hey.."

Finding this fruitless, he sighed, hoisting the other's body up onto his shoulder. So he really couldn't take it after all. He didn't even try to count the injuries at this point, but he tucked Sonic's head into his shoulder, monitoring his breathing in this way. He wondered if it was even safe to perform CPR on the other, should the need arise. It might force a bullet into him deeper.. or injure him further.

As he dropped down the small hole in the cavern floor, he realized that he couldn't go back to the apartment right now, either. GUN was well aware of where he lived, and they'd surely seen him helping Sonic, however temporarily, in his fight against their troops. He stopped at the fork in the path, glancing back towards the valley. Pursing his lips, he turned the other way, having an idea. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea or if it was even allowed, but it was all he had to run on at this point.

Besides, Sonic had been there before.

Covering the short distance to the Island seemed longer a trip than it had in a while, but he used Chaos Control the second he exited the caves, flashes of light and energy swirling about him as his shoes hit the gravel hard. He broke into a fast pace, bursting onto the side of the island that remained hidden to the eye.

Immediately upon passing the barrier, a tropical forest appeared, surrounding them. He leaped over a small pond he came to with some effort, and leaned against a rockface, thinking about what his explanation would be to the Guardians passed. It was a really bad idea, he decided, but what else could he do? He gave the rock a good kick as he leaned back, and it slid just barely wide enough for the two of them. Once inside, he stepped up onto the stone orb, and a pink light engulfed them.

He could feel his heart pounding slower against his chest, Sonic's breathing labored and erratic. If he had been awake to describe how he felt, he literally felt like he was hanging on to life by a thread, one that felt ready to break at any given second.

As they dropped slowly to the ground, the light faded, and they were left in the middle of a cavern, colorful glowing minerals embedded in the rock. He took off, ignoring the dry heat of the caves, and began to climb down set after set of stairs, each foothold lined with the colorful stone. It was here that Shadow's power was greatest, and he felt that as long as he could get Sonic down into the palace alive, he would be okay.

After going through a particularly dark tunnel, the hedgehog shifted the other's weight, making sure he had a firm grip on him. He rounded the corner as a warm glow playing on the rock ahead turned into a wide pool of lava before him. He took a deep breath, lungs on fire, before jumping across from protruding rock to rock, landing at last on the other side. Sonic began to slide out of his arms, and he hefted the other once more onto his shoulder, continuing his journey down another flight of stairs.

The colored raw minerals faded to a simple, familiar green, radiating a cool light throughout the warm tunnel before he came to the mouth of the cave, a marble walkway leading to a large, regal structure that shared much of it's architectural design with the ruins in the jungle. He followed down a final set of steps, these less decorative, and shoved the tall doors aside with his other shoulder, nudging it wide enough with his foot. He left the doors open and broke into a quick glide down the long hallway, stopping at the altar.

The Master Emerald wasn't here, but the identical stone structure provided a direct channel to it, and Shadow, after placing Sonic gently on the marble tile, raced up to the top of the altar, and, using a familiar chant, called the Emerald to them.

Immediately, the Elders and Guardians began to appear, many looking very bitter, but none said a word as he stormed back down the steps to the hedgehog, draping him over his shoulder. Except Knuckles. Shadow turned to find fierce violet eyes staring him down, blocking his path.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Shadow's jaw dropped. Closed. 'None of your business.' And he walked through the Echidna, taking Sonic before the Emerald.

"You heard me, Shadow. Answer my question."

"Fixing something," he replied simply, beginning to pray to the Emerald.

Knuckles said nothing more for the moment, looking impatient for Shadow to finish his job so he could start back in on him. The Master Emerald glowed brightly, illuminating the dimly lit room, as Shadow focused on healing Sonic's wounds. He hoped this worked for him, because there was a slim chance he'd be able to get back to the apartment now, and an equally small opportunity to go buy the supplies he needed to help Sonic. It looked impossible at the moment to even try to find a doctor willing to help. Not one in this country, anyhow.

Fortunately the determination Shadow held in the Master Emerald may be more than enough to accomplish his goal. As the Emerald started to shine and release what soon became a healing glow, nothing appeared to happen at first; very gradually was there a change in Sonic as his breathing started to even out and he started to maintain a steady heart beat.

The bullet wounds started to close up around his mid-section, pushing out shells that had remained embedded inside him after brutal gun fire. They fell to the floor as an uncomfortable look scrunched onto Sonic's face while he remained unconscious. The process may have been painful for him to endure as the last of his serious injuries miraculously scarred over.

It was a slow process but over before one knew it. Sonic still looked pretty pale and out of it but he wasn't going to get any worse from here. The hedgehog even started to stir awake, without serious ache to his body aside from what could be muscle soreness. He felt tired but otherwise okay as his eyes started to open and take in his surroundings.

The light from the Master Emerald faded, and Knuckles took his cue to storm up the steps after the other. "Now explain what the hell this is all about!" Temporarily ignoring Sonic, Knuckles directed all of his fury at the dark-furred Guardian, wishing he could punch the emotionless expression from his face. "This is the second time, you know this place is for emergencies--"

"This is an emergency." Calm, flat, unexpressive. Shadow kept his gaze on the other hedgehog, frowning as he waited for Sonic to become fully aware. Blue's vision was a little blurry but it cleared up in no time. The first face he saw was Shadow and then he started to register the background and the idea of what he may be doing here entered his mind. The thought was cut short when he spotted Knuckles, feeling even more confused. But this wasn't the first time he's seen the deceased echidna.

"What's going on?" He mumbled, for a few seconds blissfully unaware of what brought him here. Then the memories bombarded him all at once and he immediately wished he was unconscious again.

As the red-furred echidna grunted and turned away, folding his arms, Shadow responded quietly, whether it be from his own sense of grief or lack of desire for the others to hear him. "You.. lost control for a while and.." he thought of a good way to end his sentence, "collapsed."

That was true, but it gave no insight into how badly Sonic lost control. Maybe he'd realize what he meant. Still keeping the emotion dry from his face, the hedgehog continued to look into Sonic's eyes, perhaps watching for any sign the monster within would be unleashed upon the sanctuary. "Are you hurt?" He spoke emptily, void of his determined nature.

Sonic closed his eyes briefly, seeing the faces of the various people he undoubtedly killed in his previous state. The madness and chaos... Everything was caused by him and he couldn't stop it. Nothing like this has ever happened before. What if he did it again?

...How was he supposed to face the public after all that he has done? Everyone must hate him now.

Even though he wasn't hurt, Sonic still felt like shit. As his eyes opened, he avoided Shadow's and struggled to get up to stand on his own. "I'm fine."

Not one to insult another's pride, Shadow let Sonic go, allowing him to stand if he could as he did so himself, keeping his back to the angry echidna, just as the deceased did to him. He hung his head in a dulled manner, not particularly sad in appearance as thoughtful, trying to numb his shocked reaction to the earlier events.

He could tell, Sonic remembered.

While he had hoped the other might not remember all of that, and he wasn't sure why, he knew it was for the best that he did. It was in this way alone that Sonic might avoid setting foot in public for a while, whereas if Shadow'd tried to explain to an ignorant Sonic, the results would likely be Shadow's words going unheard.

He wasn't sure what to say. There was no consolation for this, nothing he could do. His men were downed in a heartbeat, and he'd lost his job. There was no going back until he could prove Eggman at fault.

Highly unlikely since he attacked his own fellow GUN agents and soldiers.

"How long are we going to be stuck here?" piped up the bitter echidna.

Shadow took this opportunity to look at Sonic, to see if maybe he had any answer, any reason they needed the Emerald here in particular, or if he wanted the Guardians to stay. He wondered if Sonic even knew the reason they were all there.

Sonic really didn't know why Shadow brought him here. He couldn't remember getting hurt any and couldn't remember a thing during Shadow's kiss or his fight to come back just previous to that action. The hedgehog wasn't in the mood to ask questions or care either. He really didn't want to stay but he wasn't sure where to go as he stood there with an unreadable expression, trying to come up with a solution.

These thoughts and this attitude would just kill him. Immediately he tried to think of a way to smile again, to figure out how to make everything better, to look confident and sure of himself. Certainly there was something he could do.

Turning back to the Emerald, Shadow took a small step forward, glancing over his shoulder at Knuckles. "You can leave." Both hands fell gently upon the stone, and the bright flash that followed was the last of the light before the Master Emerald was gone, leaving them in the darkness with only the faintly glowing gems growing in the walls.

Shadow put his back to the place where the Emerald had been, looking over at a glowing rock in the wall to his left. He wondered whether it was appropriate to speak to the other, but kept to himself for at least a moment longer.

Sonic turned towards Shadow, about to open his mouth, but hesitated as he pondered again what to ask or say. He pursed his lips into a frown, looking lost.

"I don't know what to do." He admitted truthfully, hoping in some farfetched manner there was something Shadow could do to resolve the situation for him. Something, anything, he could say to ease his mind. He had no one else to turn to at this point but he could at least be grateful Shadow had stayed by his side.

The ebony hedgehog grunted a low reply. Unfortunately, neither did he. But that was not something he could bring himself to say at the moment. He began to walk down the stairs, suddenly very aware of his own injuries as his eyes adjusted more to the light. He reached the bottom and paused to see if Sonic was going to follow. Sonic's ears laid back as he did. He supposed it was silly to think Shadow had the answers when he never was a very good inspirational speaker.

He didn't care to ask where he might be leading him either. He doubted there was a real set destination in mind.

"I... um..." Sonic wanted to say something, frustrated with the silence, and the thoughts that entered his head making him more and more depressed. He needed some kind of distraction. "Are you hurt very badly?" He noted the injuries he had before but couldn't tell how serious they were. Almost immediately upon the words leaving his mouth Shadow came back with, "Don't worry about me." He gave Sonic time to reach the bottom before he spoke up again, "Shall we explore the palace? Perhaps light some lamps?" He said this without inflection, possibly coming off as monotone as he started forward, deciding which way to go.

His heart dropped as he came to the realization that one of them would have to venture out for food. He frowned and decided first things first - find a place to rest so they didn't have to when they were too tired.

Sonic lagged behind him, not actually saying anything but agreeing nonetheless. It was obvious he still had the weight of guilt heavy on his shoulders and everything that happened before still vividly alive in his head. He was still trying to sort out a way to deal with it.

As Shadow walked, he kept pausing, glancing over his shoulder and giving the other the chance to catch up if he so desired. The fact that Sonic appeared to want to stay behind made him feel a little uncomfortable; this wasn't how the other usually behaved. He could imagine the pain the hedgehog could be going through now, considering he'd been through something very similar.

But Sonic had never been bent on global destruction like Shadow, never had a need for revenge.. or maybe he did, and that was exactly what happened earlier.

That made him wonder just how much Sonic kept inside. Just how much he really could take...

He chose a room and paused with eyes closed, waiting on the other before he opened the door and his eyes at the same time. A hallway. A dark one, at that. Shadow's eyes could adjust if he left the door open, but could Sonic's?

He let his arms fall to his side. They really needed light.. but...

"Chaos spear!" Shadow turned, pointing a hand at one of the lamps. It was a sudden, unexpected movement, birthed from a sudden spark of insight. A purple flame ignited, and he almost smiled.

He continued into the hallway, the dim violet light flickering against the stone walls. He came to the first door, and looked over at the other. "You check the doors on the right. Let me know if you see anything..." he trailed off, seeing the expression on the other's face.

He frowned, feeling that he was partially to blame. If he hadn't gotten so paranoid about the Emerald, it wouldn't have left Sonic so open to the trap. Then again, they were anticipating that, actually expecting him to leave much sooner if Rouge was to believe.

Then perhaps he could have listened to reason much sooner. Before Sonic got that injured. Before...

"Oi." He addressed the other, still uncomfortable in calling him by name.

Sonic had turned his sights towards his side of the hall in order to start checking the doors like he requested before he paused to look at Shadow, waiting expectantly to see if he had anything more to say when he chirped to get his attention. He was unaware of any guilt the other may have from the previous ordeal; he really couldn't tell what Shadow thought at all. He was almost afraid to pry.

"Listen, I know how you feel." Shadow suddenly felt the awkwardness of what he was saying and frowned, trying to meet Sonic's eyes once before turning away. He couldn't offer the kind of support Sonic needed, and he knew that, so he wasn't sure why he even bothered. Besides that, he doubted Sonic would accept it from anyone else, either. He sort of wondered how long the other would be like that, and how far it would go, and while the idea of Sonic moping about as opposed to annoying him made him strangely uncomfortable, he was at a loss as to how to change anything.

Sonic opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He could have argued differently but he could see where Shadow was coming from and it was the thought that counts right? He headed for the nearest door as Shadow said nothing more and opened it, looking inside to find it void of anything important or useful to them. It appeared to be a storage room with little in it but some dusty boxes.

Shadow looked in the first room at last, continuing on to the next one almost immediately. The first room was practically empty, a table or desk being the only thing in the center of the room. Whoever had the idea for an underground palace must have been dreadfully paranoid, but he was grateful no one else knew about it aside from, perhaps, Tails and Amy. Unless one of them had told anyone.

The second room proved equally useless, he soon found out, and he took a glimpse to the other, to see what his findings were so far.

Working on his second room, it appeared to be a lounging area with a few pieces of furniture inside. Sonic's silence was really starting to get to Shadow, and, as he finished checking the rest of his side of the short hallway, he started to work his brain, trying to think of anything he could do or say to change the behavior. He folded his arms pensively, bowing his head in thought as he walked slowly past the other. He paused in the middle of the hall and leaned against the wall, pursing his lips.

Sonic turned towards him after looking through the last room on his side, acting slower than the other. He did at least say something. "Guess you couldn't find anything interesting either, huh?" He noted in a poor attempt to add edge to his voice as he approached him and stood.

"No..." he paused, gathering his thoughts. "...do you remember all of it?" Shadow guessed this was the best place to start. If Sonic didn't remember everything, perhaps it would be easier to talk him out of his slump. At least, by now, the other was making an effort to talk some. Did he notice how awkward it was making Shadow? He felt a bit guilty, unsure if it was exactly the right thing to do, prying like this for his own satisfaction. What if Sonic wanted to be alone? He leaned away from the wall a moment, giving the other a chance to answer.

Sonic had been wondering if or when Shadow might bring more of those unfortunate events up to discuss. He wasn't so sure he minded but he nodded solemnly, a frown pursed on his lips as gruesome images once again bombarded his mind.

"Up until... um, well... How exactly did I... stop?" If only he had stopped so much sooner... But something had to of snapped him out of it. That was something he couldn't remember. Most likely due to his injuries and the fact he fainted almost immediately afterwards.

Shadow looked very ashamed, suddenly, and started back in the direction from which they came. How to answer that one? He expected questions as part of Sonic's reply, but not that one. He'd assumed that would be one thing he was sure to remember, if for no other reason, the sheer oddness and awkwardness of it. He came back into the main hall and headed for another doorway, lighting a few of the wall lamps on the way with a single Spear apiece as Sonic followed.

"You.. don't remember?" He asked cautiously, in case there was a chance the other was testing him. But that was a silly thought, and he didn't give the other much time to respond before he pushed open the double doors across the hall. Glancing back at the hedgehog, he furrowed his brow. "I.. suppose.. I talked you out of it."

Sonic blinked, not expecting it or the possibility of it working when he was so far gone. Besides that, the last thing he remembered Shadow doing was fighting with him.

"Ah... I guess I owe ya one then, huh? Sorry about..." He gestured with his hand to the other's injuries, knowing they could have been so much worse. The idea of it made his stomach churn unsettlingly. What if he hadn't been stopped? He just hated the idea of hurting a friend just as much as he did anyone else. And with Shadow... Well, he was obviously something more.

By the time Sonic was starting to point out his battle wounds, Shadow had already turned his head, the words, 'I'm sorry,' wrenching at his insides a lot more than he could have imagined up to that point. He swallowed thickly, closing his eyes before he stepped into the next hall. "I told you, don't worry about me." For all intents and purposes, Shadow was fine. It may have felt a little painful to walk, but that was the least of his concerns.

He half-heartedly lit another fixture, frowning at the thought of asking anything else of the other. "Look, when we find a place... why don't you just.. rest a while, and let me take care of everything else." He knew Sonic was unlikely to be physically exhausted thanks to the Master Emerald, but he also knew Sonic's guilt was weighing in a lot more heavily than his own.

There was also the matter of what he had surrendered in exchange for saving the other, but seeing as how everything seemed alright for the time being, he decided there was no point in worrying. He would learn of his sacrifice in due time, as the balance tended to even out fairly quickly. For now, however, he could keep any other burdens off Sonic's shoulders.

Sonic shook his head stubbornly, not wanting to feel like he was going to be looked after, especially when what he said really should be the other way around. "I just dragged you down with me, ya know? Why should you have to take care of everything? I can do it, or at least help." He wasn't sure how yet but there has to be something he'd be able to do to make up for at least some of the damages he caused.

"I don't need any rest anyway." If anything, Shadow did. And he frowned, knowing he had to feel upset that he was forced into this mess with him. Especially when he had so many duties to look after.

"You know... You might be able to explain yourself to GUN. Tell them it was some kind of mix up." He shrugged his shoulder. Considering how much they were focused on him at the time, Shadow conspiring with him may be a story easily proved otherwise; especially since GUN was so weak now. They'd probably want Shadow back.

If that was at all possible, he assumed Shadow would rather not endure his current outcast status with him.

He guessed, at first, that Sonic's offer to help meant that, at the very least, he was incorrect in thinking Sonic wanted to be left alone. Then again, perhaps he just didn't want to look like a bum anymore. Shadow wondered why the hedgehog was so backwards when compared to essentially everyone else he'd met. Most people preferred to be taken care of and waited on when they felt poorly, but Sonic? He'd rather be spoiled when he was feeling just fine, and do things more independently when he was upset or injured. What a foolish creature this Sonic was... All the same, he did seem to be getting over his worst, considering he was starting to act more like himself again.

When Sonic suggested he go back to GUN, however, this set a deep frown upon Shadow's muzzle as he attempted to interpret Sonic's feelings behind this. Setting his back to the other, though, the tiniest of smiles cracked onto his face before it disappeared. A scoff, "I'd rather not.. just.. for now."

Sonic was relieved though he felt selfish for it. He didn't exactly want him to take his advice despite how casually he attempted to offer it. He wouldn't have objected if Shadow wanted something else, he almost expected it, but he didn't argue that he rejected the idea.

One of his smallest smiles, just bigger than the one Shadow flashed, finally lit up the hedgehog's face. "Glad to see you enjoy my company after all." He mumbled quietly, perhaps more of that teasing edge brought back into the tone, indicating the hedgehog wouldn't be emo forever. That was Shadow's job.

"Hardly. Don't try to flatter yourself," when he faced the other, the hedgehog Guardian had a familiar sarcastic expression playing on his features. He placed a hand on his hip casually before turning back around, and headed for the first room on the left. Once his eyes adjusted, he realized there was some kind of structure in the center of the room. It looked almost like a wide box.

Frowning, and narrowing his eyes to adjust to the faint light coming from the hall, Shadow stepped into the room at a slow, tentative pace, glancing just slightly from side to side as he entered. "Hey," he called back at the other. The large, rectangular frame had a woven top, reminding Shadow of tatami. In the corner were stacks of fabric, silks and possibly leathers, and there were various shelves and displays around the room. When Shadow tried to get Sonic's attention he didn't have to try hard. He had followed behind him, already bored searching individually. He didn't get a good look as to what was in front of him though until he peeked over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's a bed, right?" Shadow stepped to the side to let Sonic see better, trying to focus on his face in search of any reaction. Giving up on making out something so detailed in this light, he moved over to a table where a set of candles were lined up, and grabbed one, leaning out into the hall enough to light it on the lamp, then began touching the small flame to each candle, not too surprised that only half of them would catch in the reasonably damp air.

Looking back at the object in question, he had no doubt, but that bedding in the corner was questionable. How old was this stuff, after all? "I think this was the ..chief's chambers," for lack of a better term for the leader of the echidna tribes.

Inspecting a small, seemingly golden object he found on a shelf, Shadow paused before setting it back down and walking back toward the center of the room.

"Ah." Sonic stepped further into the room, getting a good look around as Shadow lit more candles. It appears they found a place to rest whenever they needed it. Although he didn't exactly feel like his normal energetic self, he wasn't so eager to have a closer look at the bed to lay down.

He wondered if Shadow had different feelings on the matter. Considering what he's gone through, he wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to take a load off. Who knows how long they were going to be here until one of them came up with an idea to help their situation. If there was one. It was going to be almost impossible to prove Eggman at fault for everything especially when the humans had already been so willing to believe him. That... he still couldn't wrap his mind around.

Without any warning, Shadow curled a finger under Sonic's chin, turning him to face the ebony hedgehog. The determined flicker in his eyes was doubled by the reflection of candlelight, light that was no longer violet, but a warm orange as it burned down to the natural fuel as opposed to the dark, Chaos-fueled flame Shadow used to light them. His brows furrowed, and he studied Sonic's face for a moment, perhaps searching for any signs that the other was feeling more at ease with himself.

Letting go, Shadow turned away as if nothing happened in that short second he observed the other, and he started towards the door. "Perhaps it's best if we go back to get some things to make it a little more.. inhabitable."

Sonic was still looking a little dumbfounded after freezing up in Shadow's grasp. He had stared back, a pink hue tinting beige cheeks before he let go. He blinked and reached an arm out towards him, a brow arching in confusion. "Oi, what was that about?" He ended up grabbing his forearm, taking his own turn to observe Shadow in a few quiet, and tense seconds.

Once he came to a conclusion, a small frown tugged at the corners of his lips. "You're worried about me, aren't you?"

"Of course not," Shadow pulled on his arm, hoping to free himself. It was bad enough dealing with the awkward silence for a moment, without such a demanding and forward question. At least, in Shadow's opinion, it was asking a lot of him. He found it a little harder to breathe as he suddenly felt the eyes on him much more noticeably than before. The thick, dark pointed ears swiveled back, his lips flexed uncomfortably. Why should he be worried about the other?

But he was, and it took this to make him realize that it was exactly what all of those thoughts running around in his head were. "That's not my responsibility," he attempted to reassure the other that he was wrong, "Why should I?" He avoided those damned green eyes now, hoping they could just go and forget Shadow's moment of curiosity.

Sonic's frown only seemed more evident as the other attempted to respond. He didn't want him to worry, and despite Shadow's harsh words, he knew better than that.

"Because I lov..." He bit his bottom lip, startled at the answer that wanted to come out, and taking him completely off guard. Shadow's ears twitched forward, and he turned to look back, wide-eyed as Blue cut himself off.

A soft smile took over Sonic's face, the subject instantly dropped. "I don't know." He let go of his arm at this point and attempted to walk out the way Shadow tried to head to begin with.

Shadow swallowed thickly, he scolded himself, not sure what he had expected to hear. He relaxed, a bit relieved that he didn't have to react to ..well..

But as he let Sonic pass, he was almost aware what that sad smile meant. He'd hurt him with his words, he suspected, and felt a little guilty. "Ah--" Unable to think of anything so quickly, Shadow followed Sonic out of the room, watching him walk away for a moment before his ears lowered again. But instead of following, he headed back the way he came.


	17. Just For You

Sonic realized Shadow wasn't going in the same direction and couldn't help but feel awkward and even a little paranoid that maybe the black hedgehog realized what he almost said and wasn't happy about it. He tried not to think about it. He blamed his impulsiveness on the emotional roller-coaster he's recently been put through and still seemed to be riding. He let Shadow go his own way while he started to explore and check out the rest of the palace.

It took some time considering how large it was. Once he became more familiar with everything, he headed back to the bedroom he and Shadow departed from. He sat on the end of the bed, looking in deep thought. His eyes were distant as he sunk back into previous guilt, feeling redundant and annoyed at himself for the emotions he tried so hard to banish from his mind. His determination, at least, was becoming strong; while he grew intent to reconcile what he's done, a fleeting thought pondered Shadow's current whereabouts.

Without any signs of his return, he got his answer when the other came into the room. He was supported, for some reason or another, by the jets of his hover skates, but still appeared to have a bit of a limp. In his arms were what was clearly intended to be their bedding, grays and greens in layers, and a pair of black pillows. A small, roughly cut piece of tarp was on the bottom, and when he set the stack of bedding on the floor, it was protected from any residue on the flooring that had yet to be cleaned in at least a good hundred years.

As he stood back up, a bullet wound was visible dangerously close to his ribcage, something Shadow seemed either unaware of, or entirely dismissal of. Giving a small, almost indecisive sniff, he paused to glance at the other. "Sorry it took me so long. I wanted to make sure I covered all our needs." Then, looking a bit ashamed to ask, he added, "You wanna help me get all this stuff in?" Without waiting for an answer, he headed back out the door, making his way towards the main hall, where a large metal crate with the letter G stamped on it awaited them.

By then, Sonic was wondering where he went to retrieve that, and frustrated he went alone. Although he had a feeling Shadow could still handle himself; he was a little doubtful, however, when he noticed the bullet wound. It would have been a lot easier to accomplish things if he would have just asked him too.

"Is that fresh?" He got up and wandered after him, looking pointedly at his newly sustained injury. "I didn't even know you were going out. I told you to let me help." He snapped with a cutting edge voice, signifying once more just how much he was stressin.' To have to know that the other hedgehog was staying here for him and trying to do everything made him noticeably more frustrated that Shadow was here at all.

Following him and walking out to see the GUN crate of course just made those feelings stronger; and he was upset at himself that he had just wandered off so stupidly before.

Shadow ignored his question, but as he noted the tone of his voice, he snapped back, "Shut up! You sound like--"

Shadow, who had never had an actual mother, realized exactly who Sonic sounded like and shut himself up instead, frowning darkly to himself as he hefted himself up over the side of the box. Supporting his weight with one, only slightly shaky arm, he reached for a bag, dropping down to his feet. He stumbled, having forgotten to cushion the landing with his shoes, and winced, lowering his head in hopes that Sonic wouldn't see the grimace. He raised his head once more, extending the bag to the other.

"Here. Did you look around the palace any?"

Sonic was watching him so intently it was hard not to catch the uncomfortable look that flashed across his face. It infuriated him when he never asked him to do all of this. He didn't have to. He didn't have to do it at all but Shadow so stubbornly, idiotically, did it.

He stared a moment longer but didn't take the bag right away. Instead, a flash of blue vanished from in front of him, exiting back into the bedroom before appearing again only several seconds later. When he first disappeared, Shadow clenched his fists by his side, the plastic grocery bag crinkling helplessly in his grasp. He didn't understand where he was going–but if Sonic didn't want to help, he didn't have to. Before he returned, Shadow had already hoisted himself back up onto the crate and pulled out a second, cloth bag. He landed a bit more smoothly as Sonic returned, the heavier plastic bag lifted from his hands before he knew what was happening. The blue hedgehog hooked an arm around Shadow's back and even his legs, forcing him off his feet so fast he didn't have time to react. He also changed his surroundings just as quickly, carrying him bridal style towards the bedroom and forcing him (carefully) on the bed, now rid of dust and old sheets, but dawned with the new attire Shadow brought.

He got on the bed with him, standing over him on his hands and knees to make sure he stayed down. "You rest. I'll take care of everything, kay?" It wasn't a question, it was a demand with no room to object. At the very least Shadow could let him unpack after all the hard work he must've went through to get everything, right?

A tint came over his cheeks as he pieced together what had happened and ended up jumping to conclusions almost right away, nearly interrupting Sonic, "No!" He realized immediately after how stupid he sounded, shouting like that, and he lowered his ears apologetically, "I .. I'd rather you.. not.. do it alone."

Sonic gripped onto the sheets in case he tried to push him off, having left the grocery bag near Shadow's head on the bed for the time being. He arched a brow at him with a stern look still written on his face, not looking very persuaded, and a little surprised at the other's abrupt outburst.

"What are you talking about?" It's not like he was doing anything big, ya know? What was Shadow so concerned about? He understood if he worried about him a little but why did he insist on doing everything for him? Did he want him to feel bad? "At least lay here until I get you cleaned up." He gestured towards the bullet wound with his eyes.

"Ah--" Shadow started to argue, but gave up for the time being, starting to relax against the bed. The bed which, unfortunately, was not made to his liking, but he wouldn't say anything. He'd wait until he got Sonic putting up the groceries to do something about it.

He loosened his grip on the cloth bag at last, swinging an arm out over the side of the bed before he let go, dropping it onto the floor. He was glad he'd grabbed it at least. This way it would be nearby when he went to fix the bed.

Glancing up at the plastic grocery store bag, Shadow frowned defeatedly. "Fine. In that case, check and see if the first aid kit is in that bag. I know there are some cleaning supplies, but.. maybe it's in there, too." If not, Shadow would have to go back and get the GUN kit he'd seen a few moments before. Perhaps he should have grabbed it first, instead of the cleaners.

Sonic nodded and got off of him to sit next to him. He opened the bag to look through it, pushing things aside as he reached his hand in, and luckily found a small white kit with a big red cross on it. He pulled it out and swiftly opened it to find some medical tape, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, and an elastic bandage. All of which would prove useful in Shadow's current situation.

Although ordinarily it may require something a bit more extreme considering the nature of the injury, Sonic could do nothing more. He wasn't a doctor nor would there be any nearby to help them. "Alright. Let's do this." He started to open up the antiseptic wipes first to clean around the injury as he looked towards the small hole near Shadow's side.

Shadow knew that the bullet would have to be removed. Otherwise, considering his healing rate, it would be sealed inside of him. The ebony hedgehog was already pretty sure he had another one this had already happened to in one of his legs from a previous battle, and didn't exactly want this one to match. It was already rubbing his ribs uncomfortably, and he made the guess that this one would be a little more intolerable.

He nodded at Sonic's suggestion, or announcement that he was starting, whatever the case may be, and he tensed as the other used the wipes on his sensitive wound. Taking it upon himself to encourage the removal of the bullet, he pulled back at the skin of the hole, widening it and forcing the blood flow to increase. "Use the pliers that go with the stitching kit to get that out," he referred to the slight glint of metal that could be seen in the dim candlelight. In anticipation, Shadow bit his tongue, prepared to keep himself silent in what was sure to be a painful process.

Sonic frowned, not exactly eager, but already had an idea he may have to do something like that. He went ahead and quickly cleaned away dirt from his fur and blood from around the entry wound before he started.

He disposed of the wipe in the kit where he moved some things over and found the pliers. He retrieved them, sterilized the ends and carefully hovered the tips over the hole, looking apologetically at him before he started.

Shadow's eyes didn't meet Sonic's the whole time. He started out looking at the wound, watching the other work with it, and failed to catch the other's expression. The warm, orange light flickered weakly in his expectant gaze, his jaw clenched before the pliers even touched his skin.

Sonic pressed them in, being as careful as possible. When the cold metal had made contact with his exposed flesh, Shadow's lips curled back as he sucked in a hiss. This only increased the discomfort, and he swallowed, choking back any sound he might let slip. Sonic had a steady hand but there was no way he could have lessened the pain any. He just tried to be as quick as possible as he attempted to grasp onto the metal shell and pull it out. At that point, Shadow had went into a tiny, uncontrollable, but fast pant, eyes clenched tight. His ears twitched before flattening, and he chanced a look at the progress of the other's work, still squeezing one eye shut.

Once he had a good solid grip, it really wasn't that hard to retrieve the shell. It popped out, and he put it and the pliers aside on the opened lid of the kit, then grabbed the antibiotic ointment. After opening it, Sonic gently rubbed some on before pressing a gauze pad over the same location.

Before continuing any further, he looked at Shadow carefully, making sure he was alright. "You okay?"

After a heavy grunt laced with a sigh, Shadow pushed himself up and leaned forward onto his palms, panting a little more slowly now. "I'm fine." Having squeezed his eyes so tightly, he'd earned a little moisture in the corners, but he waited a moment before he pretended to wipe sweat from his brow.

Sonic had used the elastic bandage and tape to keep the gauze pad put before saying anything more. Once he was finished, he closed the kit up and turned his attention towards him, again looking apologetic. It must've hurt like hell but at least it was over now.

He reached out, gently taking his chin against his fingers to make sure he'd see the concern, and seriousness in his eyes. "Next time you decide to go out, invite me too, kay?"

Not one to get too serious for very long, he couldn't help but lighten the situation with a smile. "You should know no one does things better than Sonic the Hedgehog. Stop trying to be like me, hm, faker?"

Shadow's ears slowly started to upright themselves as he swallowed thickly, insides wrenching with guilt and something he couldn't begin to define for the second time today. "Faker..," he mumbled disapprovingly, lids lowering as Sonic called him by the familiar nickname.

But as Sonic let go, Shadow had a sudden fear, one he suspected was due to the fact that the hedgehog was likely to go unpack without him present. Wide-eyed, Shadow caught the arm, pulling back on him desperately. Unconsciously the ears dropped back down, and he couldn't help but look pathetic as he realized what an idiot he was being. He dropped his gaze as well, frown edging across his muzzle. His fingers slid away weakly, and he stared at his own hands, a bit embarrassed.

Sonic also frowned, unsure of what was stirring Shadow's recent behavior, and perhaps misinterpreting it. Instead of getting up right away to unpack for them both, he nudged him so he was laying down, and he was too by his side. If he didn't want him to leave, he wouldn't. At least he'd stay put so that Shadow had time to rest his feet, knowing it wasn't too likely to keep him down unless he was right there with him. Stubborn hedgehog. Who does he take it after?

"Oi, don't look like that. Is something else wrong?" He uttered almost casual, not really expecting anything else to be.

Shadow welcomed the contact almost hungrily, eyes closing as he relaxed as much as he could. He shook a little, weak from the loss of blood, and sighed heavily, trying to relieve some of his tension from the earlier battle, and his recent venture back outside. "No.. I'm.. fine," but he sounded unconvinced.

He started to think of the remaining things that had to be done, but he was so heavy. It was like lifting boulders just to raise his arm. Shadow purred weakly, rolling over onto his side to tuck his head next to the other's arm. "Mm. I have to get up and finish unloading that stuff." He sounded distant, also unconvinced of this.

Sonic smiled softly, assuming he was just exhausted at this point, and no wonder. He gently put his arm around him (wary of his injury) and tried to ignore the guilt poking fun at him. Why did he always have to run away whenever he was faced with a problem? If he hadn't of went off by himself before, Shadow probably wouldn't have gotten shot because he would have insisted he'd go out with him, and it would have been much more unlikely for him to have gotten hurt. Unfortunately that didn't happen so he tried to make him as comfortable as possible.

"Let's rest first." He mumbled, closing his eyes too, and only then realizing how tired he was as well.

--

It felt like no time had passed when Sonic began to stir. He felt like he had just closed his eyes for a couple of seconds. He immediately told himself 'five more minutes' but couldn't help but look to see how Shadow was doing. When he began to move, Shadow had leaned towards the warmth automatically, still unconscious as the other woke up. He took in a deep, tired breath, nuzzling his cheek against the arm nearest him. With a weak moan, he began to wake up, himself, eyes blurry as Sonic came into his view. He could tell it was a little darker as he started to stretch out and look over at the candles.

"Nn. One of the candles is out." He pointed out, rolling over slowly. He felt a bit ashamed to be so close to Sonic when he'd hurt him so recently, but he was grateful it wasn't being held against him.

Sonic grunted, tempted to close his eyes again and try to get a little more sleep, but just couldn't bring himself to do it. He was awake now and they had probably slept too long anyhow. He rose up and stretched his legs out, stifling a yawn. When he attempted to stretch his arms too, he brushed against the bag the kit sat by next to him. He hadn't put away anything considering how the two fell asleep. He supposed he could pick up where he left off and finish unpacking and cleaning.

With that goal in mind, Sonic sat up, looking towards the door with the GUN crate in mind. Shadow felt his support shifting under him and pushed his ears back with a curled arm as he buried his face against it before rolling over again onto his back. He pushed into a sitting position, hands folding in his lap. He was split down the middle, not sure whether he wanted to get close to Sonic again, or stay at the distance he'd put between them. Stealing a glance out of the corner of his eye, his whole idea was erased from his mind by the fact that Sonic was looking ready to stretch his legs.

He almost pouted. Almost. He wasn't looking forward to getting out of bed quite yet. But he did, silently climbing to his feet. Shadow moved to relight the misshapen candles, the melting wax adding to their unsymmetrical shape, "So, I don't think you answered me before. Did you figure out where everything is around here?" He looked over his shoulder at the other, a wide shadow falling across the room behind him, "I wanted to at least put our food supply in a reasonable place, plus I think we need to see if the ancient Echidna plumbing still works like it should." To be fair, Shadow wasn't sure just how it was supposed to work to begin with.

Sonic stood and wandered over to him and nodded, stopping behind him. "Yeah, I could show you around while we unpack, unless you can't keep up." Despite the teasing remark, he meant to indicate towards the other's injury without sounding too concerned again.

Shadow, rejected the offer calmly, as his legs were feeling rather stiff where the skin had started to heal on his shins. It would likely pull the wounds back open in the most uncomfortable manner; at least, his skin felt so tight, it seemed that way. With a quiet voice, the hedgehog stared into the fire light for a moment as he responded, "Mm. Not now, hedgehog. I'm not feeling particularly playful."

Despite the truth in his words, he wondered if perhaps he'd come off as a little harsh. Not one to apologize for his demeanor, however, he turned to face the door, catching Sonic out of the corner of his eye. He paused, turning back to glance at the other instinctively, just from the closeness alone, but he continued not too soon after, heading out the door. Assuming the hedgehog would follow him, Shadow went back into the main hall, food gradually becoming a primary focus in his mind. Sonic followed behind.

Deciding to try this again, he lifted himself and leaned over the side of the steel crate, balancing with his center of gravity at his hips. He hoped Sonic would be a little more cooperative this time around, and once he had two thin plastic bags of canned foods in hand, he extended his arm in the other's direction, attempting to hand them over. "Go ahead and put these up. This cooler will take a second to get out." Especially without stepping over into the box.

He would have preferred to do this all on his own so Shadow wouldn't have to be exerting himself but cooperation was what Shadow got; and he was definitely going to receive some type of aid on Sonic's part. Though it probably would have been best to do it on his own, he wasn't willing to argue with him when he seemed so eager to help despite his injuries.

Sonic reached out and took the plastic bags. He nodded and was quickly darting off down the hall to the dining area that best suited the needs of the bags' contents. It took him just as quick to place the items where they belonged and return just several seconds later.

There he stood, willing and ready, hoping to get this done quick.

Shadow hastily reached for a small cardboard box, wrapping his fingers around it just before he returned. He cursed to himself, feeling more than a little disappointed that Sonic was in such a rush. He wasn't sure what to do at this point, because any sneaky behavior seemed out of the question. Dropping the box back into the crate, he leaned back, landing on his feet. "In a hurry?" Glancing back at the large, black G on the steel finish, he changed the subject with an only slightly disappointed tone, "I'm going to open this out, so things are going to go everywhere." He had a new idea, one that was sure to work.

"Just start putting things up. If I don't know where a place is in here, you can tell me where to go; or if you don't know what something is, I'll tell you where to put it."

Sonic blinked, a little put off by the other's grumble before but assumed it was simply because he wasn't feeling good. He wasn't really in a hurry, but he would like to get this done and out of the way. "Alright."

Turning back to the box, Shadow leaned his weight against one side with his shoulder, unclasping a lock that kept it closed. Making sure that the hedgehog was not in its way, he stepped back just a bit and pulled back on a metal rod, sliding it out of place. The front of the crate swung open, tumbling several backpacks out onto the floor. A large cooler about the size of one of the hedgehogs started to slide from the top, and Shadow caught it with his hands, holding it in place as everything below it scattered around his feet.

After a wince and a good bit of stumbling, due to a bag that slammed into his burnt shins, the striped Guardian moved back again, grabbing the handle of the cooler and tugging it with him. Once it was out onto the marble, he turned to Sonic. "You'll be happy to know there are hotdogs in here."

Sonic smiled, surprised the other was thoughtful enough to get him some, or did he like them as much as him? He hadn't even thought about what they'd do for food, or how they would obtain it, but apparently Shadow was one step ahead of him.

Unfortunately, he didn't have much of an appetite. "Nice of you to think of me." He winked. Since he wasn't exactly up for a meal right now though, he headed for one of the fallen backpacks to look through. "Ya know, maybe you should eat. I can have this all cleaned up in no time."

Shadow looked on, externally emotionless, while his inside panicked at the idea of Sonic going through this stuff alone. "Ah, most of those are food and underwear, I believe... perhaps guns and water." To be honest, Shadow had no idea; it wasn't his department, and he'd never needed one of these survival kits before. "Just, put them wherever." With a slight flicker in his eye of failing confidence, he frowned, adding, "If... you don't know where it goes, put it in the room."

It was then he spotted the item from earlier and picked it up to hide until later. However, Sonic saw him.

"What was that?"

"Hm?" Shadow looked up innocently, seeming unaware of what Sonic was referring to for a moment. After a beat, it dawned on him what he meant, and Shadow broke his gaze with the other eagerly, looking ahead in a determined stare. He pursed his lips, collecting his thoughts and mulling things over in his mind. He could lie to him, but he wasn't sure if that would only upset Sonic later.

Deciding to be honest, but brutally honest in the strangest of ways, Shadow produced the box, barely glimpsing down at it as he spoke, "You mean this. It's something I got to keep you entertained. It's obviously not my specialty to do so myself." He dangled the box over near the other with his thumb and forefinger, expecting him to either take it or let him drop it into his palm. The other obviously wasn't expecting an answer like that. He stared at Shadow, unsure if he was serious as he reached his hand out to him. Sonic didn't expect him to get him anything, it made him blush as his mind raced with ideas as to what it could be.

He looked down at it thoughtfully and tipped out the contents into his other hand. What fell into his palm made him light up. It was a small music player. Sort of like an iPod touch. It was definitely a thoughtful gift and it was quite surprising coming from Shadow.

"Wow, thanks." He looked up at him with a genuine smile, unsure of what else to say. He was obviously taken off guard by the behavior, that expression was clearly evident on his face. He was touched, and now he was completely distracted from their duties as he put away the box. Though it had headphones that came with the music player, Sonic was a bit more obnoxious than that.

"Hmm... Let's see what we can do with this." It only took him a second to catch on and equal time to have something playing. Immediately the small gadget was blaring something with a mix of rock and a techno beat. Just before then, Shadow had already started walking away with a backpack to unload, feeling unnaturally nervous. While he was reasonably certain it would be something Sonic would enjoy, he still had an unexplainable, illogical fear that he wouldn't. He stopped and tensed, glad his back was to the other so he couldn't see any hints of contentment he found in the hedgehog's approval.

Looking feral, Sonic immediately started to close the gap between them, moving in front of the other. His hand rose to rest coolly on his hip, eyelids lowering into a saucy expression. "What say we take a little break now?" A simple thanks just wouldn't do, and he felt in a remarkably better mood than since they first arrived here. He could put that bag away later.

The familiar expression on his face was not what Shadow expected in the least, and he took a few steps back uncertainly. "Hm... A break." It sounded like a simple statement, but it was more of a cue for the other to clarify his intentions.

Sonic casually put his arms around his neck (still clutching the MP3 player) letting their bodies brush against one another. He didn't say anything but he nodded with one of Shadow's most hated smirks on his face. He started nudging him back, making it so the other's back bumped against the wall. He kept eye contact as various things ran through his mind, most probably perverse.

"Now what do you think we should do?" The suggestiveness was obvious.

Bristling automatically, Shadow fought away a warm tone that threatened to light up his cheeks. It was probably too dark to see if he did blush, but no matter how neutral his expression may be, there was still the question in his mind of whether the other could read just how flustered he'd suddenly become.

Closing his eyes, Shadow turned his cheek to the hedgehog. He opened his eyes to give himself a more frustrated look, the familiar frown forming. He felt his back against the wall and took a slow, quiet breath, trying his best to calm down before he even attempted an answer.

It appeared impossible to do this, and he felt it was best to keep quiet, at least for the time being. He held onto the bag, staring intently down the hall. He prayed for a way to get out of this situation and go back to work. The sooner they got everything taken care of, the better. It seemed they kept getting delayed. But the other grinned, not at all surprised at his reaction. Sonic's arms slipped off of him but he still kept himself pretty close. His free hand reached up to direct his chin towards him, turning his head so he was looking at him again.

Sonic's ears lowered back in a submissive gesture as a coy look showed on his face. "Hm?" He pressured, letting go and leaning in, his lips nearly brushing against his before redirecting them to his cheek and delivering an encouraging kiss.

Shadow's lip twitched once, as if he were about to say something. He thought better of it and tilted his head back a bit as the other leaned in. He didn't have much of anyplace to go, and the lack of distance between their lips stirred his instincts a little more than he would have preferred. He parted his lips to exhale, knowing what was sure to come.

When it never came, and Sonic moved to Shadow's cheek instead, his ears perked slightly, and his eyes opened fully to look over at the side of the other's head.

If Shadow hadn't been confused before, he was now, but he was uncertain how he should respond to a thing such as this. He turned his head, searching for something a little more familiar, especially since Sonic had already made the ebony hedgehog anticipate a more intimate kiss. He pushed against the other's head, moving it back enough for their lips to meet, his fingers flexing uncertainly against the polyester bag in his hands.

He was pleased at the minor effort Shadow used in order to correct his previous direction. The music really didn't match the passion Sonic set forward as it entered an instrumental break while the two kissed.

Sonic ended up breaking it shortly after in order to once again change direction and kiss down to his neck. His hot breath bat against fur as his arms went around his waist and he pushed the two in what seemed like a likely outcome.

"So you want to do this?" He murmured tauntingly against the crease of his neck, looking up towards him with dazzling green eyes.

He made a choking noise as he held his breath, the feathery chills forcing his eyes shut tight. Unable to keep himself perfectly still with that sort of contact, the bag slipped from Shadow's grasp and slumped to the floor with a heavy thunk, his fingers searching for Sonic's hips. When he found them, he gave a tentative squeeze, a slight gasp escaping his throat. This annoyed him, and he clenched his jaw, swallowing back any more noise as the other spoke up.

Shadow's only response was an arrogant snort. If Sonic had to ask, then he should probably already know the answer. He tilted his head to look down at the other with a glare of superiority, lips bending at the corners of his mouth. He was just trying to make Shadow uncomfortable, he was sure of it. This playful questioning was something Sonic insisted on doing to rile him up.

He seriously considered going along with it, shoving the other out from in front of him and storming down the hall. He deserved nothing better with that cocky attitude of his. Instead, however, he continued to glare down into Sonic's eyes, hands loosely on his hips, daring him to question Shadow again.

The look he gave him only seemed to rile Sonic further--in an arousing manner. He pushed his hips forward, gaining an ounce of friction as he countered the look he received with a sharp nip along Shadow's collar bone.

He let go of him with one arm in order to put away the MP3 player with the box, the song nearing its end as the two interacted. That arm returned but the hand wandered dangerously low and grasped him just under his rear end, pulling him closer as he bucked harder into the other's groin in a most teasing gesture.

At this point, Shadow felt his earlier suspicions had been proved correct. It was foolish for him to think the other felt anything more than a physical drive towards him.

Shadow wasn't sure if he was relieved or not.

But that furious, grinding sensation below made him forget all of that. "Hahh," he grunted as the air was forced out of him in that first, torturous thrust. The teeth didn't help, either. He growled, all ten digits flexing angrily, hungrily against the other as vivid images flooded his mind. It wasn't so bad, letting Sonic draw him into this, but if he thought for one second that Shadow would let him do things his way...

His train of thought was interrupted by a persistent tingling below as Sonic drove his body against Shadow's for the second time, now with a grip on his upper thigh. Another growl was the hedgehog's only warning before he pushed back, hips first, shoving Sonic away from him long enough for him to get away from the wall.

His fingers closed around Sonic's arms, and he threw the other back in the place where he'd once stood. Instead of sharp, quick movements between their bodies, however, Shadow worked purposefully slow, forcing a thigh between Sonic's legs as he pressed the two together, his chest finally came square against the others, and a fiery, threatening expression erupted in his eyes. "You still treat everything like a game. Pathetic."

Sonic grunted and visibly flinched, looking at the other with a faint touch of surprise flickering in his emerald eyes, not exactly expecting that. He wasn't discouraged or anything though, if not the contrary.

He swallowed hard as he felt his thigh between his legs and could feel the other's heart beat against his chest. The look, no matter how intimidating, shot straight to his groin and made him wriggle most uncomfortably.

A small smile started to grow and twitch at the corners of his lips after an adequate time to recover. He grinned, the lust clearly evident in his eyes as he leaned his head closer so his forehead was pressed against Shadow's and their lips were once again teasing each other's.

"Not this time." He cooed, jerking his hips forward against the striped hedgehog enticingly before engulfing his mouth in a second kiss.


	18. Missing Words

A hungry purr roused by Sonic's continuing movements below was immediately stifled by the other's lips over his own. Again, his hands fell to Sonic's hips, this time countering the teasing thrusts by shoving his hips back against the wall. He sought to put the hedgehog in his place, tongue lashing needily into his mouth, where ever he could reach. He flicked the other's lip into his mouth, sucking gently before letting go and pulling back, and mimicked the move the blue hedgehog used only moments before. Sonic hummed softly in delight, eyes lulled closed, and playing right into the other's hands.

Shadow's hand hooked around a blue thigh, his hips bucking forwards as he brought the other to meet him, while in the meantime, his breath radiated across Sonic's shoulder where his head had come to rest. He found himself unexplainably aroused by even his scent, and drew him in immediately for a second thrust, exhaling heavily into the blue fur.

Sonic's arm went around Shadow's waist, pulling him in just as needily at the feel of his hips thrusting forward which added even more pressure behind the action. It seemed the more they engaged themselves in such intimacy, the stronger and more powerful it became. The more Sonic couldn't resist and the hungrier he got, like it was some kind of addiction he couldn't fulfill.

His hand rose up from its current position, running up his arm to his neck where he took his jaw in his fingers and forced his head to tilt the opposite way he was leaning in. He placed his mouth over the crook of his neck, biting his teeth down and sucking roughly to ensure a good sized hickey in time for the second thrust.

Blinding was the best way to describe the powerful sensation that hit Shadow, one that shot straight below, causing him to grit his teeth. He breathed more heavily, hand lowering just enough to lift the other's leg. He raised it along his side, savoring the warmth of Sonic's inner thigh against his waist. With a final squeeze, Shadow's other hand moved from the hedgehog's hip, fingers spreading to let the blue fur caress every digit as his hand roamed. Both hands were still plenty injured from the last fight, but the silky coat was absolutely irresistible at the moment.

His ears lowered all the way back as he nuzzled into his shoulder. He could feel a heavy pulse below, and he knew that if he wasn't completely hard yet, it wouldn't be long. Already the hedgehog felt the familiar heat rising to his face, taking control over his actions.

Sonic gladly kept where his leg was lifted, putting it around Shadow even more so he was limited as to how far he could go back, forcing their bodies to stay in close contact.

He ceased the suction at Shadow's neck to nip at the tenderized skin between careful teeth. His tongue brushed over dampened fur as he was shamelessly aroused already, at least an inch already exposing its self below. It was evident in the next contact their hips made with each other, encouraged by another thrust on Sonic's part to keep the friction going and in hopes of gradually intensifying it.

The wrenching fire in Shadow's gut certainly did intensify, especially as it dawned on him that his efforts were gaining an erection out of the other as well, although not as quickly as his own. It was only a little frustrating, but he sought to make them a bit more evenly matched. He leaned down a little, his other hand finding Sonic's other leg, his remaining support. He arched his back to hold the hedgehog up as he lifted the second thigh around him, a smug expression plastered across his face.

Grinding once more, in a particularly rough manner, he left his ears pinned back in a mix of aggression and need. Again, he felt an unexplainable fear, one that was growing harder to dismiss. But he hoped Sonic didn't notice, that he was too wrapped up in their acts to catch the flicker of uncertainty in those lustful red eyes.

Pushing the feeling aside, he continued on his quest to make him more aroused, and, unable to reach the sensitive spot on Sonic's neck with his head in the way, he made a quick swivel of his neck, using his chin to force the other away. In one swift movement, he was on the same spot, teasing the skin with a circling tongue and experimental nips. Curious to see if he could get a faster response, he vocalized his need wordlessly in a deep tone, his voice resonating against the blue fur.

Sonic's hands went to Shadow's shoulders to grasp and hold onto, feeling sexually excited about the whole scenario, and how everything was playing out. Having Shadow grind against his body, left nearly immobile thanks to the wall blocking him in between, he was well distracted from anything else going on aside from the sheer pleasure he was absorbing from every way their bodies rubbed against each other. It wasn't hard to make Sonic's southern regions extend further from there.

After Shadow had managed to get access to his neck, Sonic helped him further along, abandoning his feast to tip his head back against the wall. His eyes lulled closed briefly as he soaked up the attention and dug his claws into the other's broad shoulders.

As punishment for that, Shadow gave a sudden, powerful thrust of his hips, forcing the other even harder against the stone wall. It stirred a strained cry from the blue hedgehog, meant to be stifled and silent. Shadow didn't wait too long for the result of his actions. A hand left one of the toned blue thighs slowly, slipping around to the hedgehog's backside, and he supported the other with his forearm as he adjusted himself, directing his pulsing length to Sonic's exposed bottom.

He paused, panting hungrily into his neck as he thought this over for a moment. It would be fairly difficult to pull it off this way, even if Sonic was cooperative. Not to mention he was so aroused that he felt even the slightest attention to his member would be overwhelming.

Sonic was breathing just as hard as Shadow was at this point, their heavy pants taking over the silent hall seeing as how the song that had been playing stopped. He'll have to create a larger library. The thought of doing it to music turned the hedgehog on but right now nothing could turn him off.

Sonic had a feeling as to what Shadow was going to try to do. He had no complaints if the other hedgehog could pull it off. He'd stay cooperative as Shadow's heated breath pounded against the fur on his neck, making him wriggle wantonly.

His hands then abandoned his shoulders in order to put his arms around him, pulling his frame against him just a tad closer in order to aid the situation, if just a little bit.

Considering how encouraging he was being towards his idea, Shadow felt a little more driven to keep Sonic balanced as he pressed himself against the other. He closed his eyes, clenching his teeth as he tried to focus on anything but the blinding lust as he rolled his hips, adjusting to the weight upon them.

Finally, he pushed himself inside, the tip just moist enough to slip in without too much trouble. His ears flattened immediately, the striped hedgehog still scowling in response to his body's demands. He huffed weakly, moving his hips forward once more to make sure he was situated nicely within the other, then brought his hand around to Sonic's lower back, arching the other's lower body to meet his own.

Sonic tensed only briefly before forcing his muscles to relax, his inner walls flexing once around the intruding length filling up his backside. His body shuddered openly against his as he exhaled a shaky breath, adjusting slowly for Shadow's invasion as he slipped in even deeper and his back was pressed into an arch.

He closed his eyes, his ears mimicking the other's as his nails were beginning to dig into Shadow's back, around his quills, much like they did to his shoulders. It was hard for him to just hold still when he was torn between not doing anything (focusing on staying relaxed and taking it) and thrusting his hips to encourage more friction and to drive a certain someone even deeper into his impressively tight depths.

To distract himself from his dilemma, he attempted to make Shadow feel the rush of emotions he was currently bombarded with. His lips found his in no time as he instantly tried to dominate the kiss with a very demanding tongue and an equally hungry mouth that nipped Shadow's bottom lip sharply.

Shadow was still trying to concentrate on the task at hand when he caught him off guard, the crimson eyes revealing themselves quickly with a shocked expression. The other was certainly trapping Shadow between a rock and a hard place, so to speak, which was exactly what he'd done to the hedgehog to begin with. He didn't know whether to fight Sonic back or give in, but this wasn't helping his sense of self control in the least.

Making an attempt to swallow before Sonic's tongue got the better of him once more, he pulled the other farther down on top of his length, a pleased groan passing his forcedly parted lips. He tried to an extent to fight back with his own tongue, but ended up failing miserably thanks to the tightness engulfing the top half of his erection. He felt weak against the hungry mouth, but pressed in even deeper, filling his own needs as Sonic overpowered him.

At this point Sonic was of course fully aroused. It became increasingly hard to ignore it and the bucking gestures he made against Shadow as he drove in wasn't enough to sustain the need he felt for more. His length was pulsating and aching with desire, something he tried to fulfill on his own most impatiently as he began sucking on the lip he previously nipped.

One of Sonic's arms moved from around him to slip lower between them in order to wrap his fingers around his protruding shaft. He squeezed himself roughly as a groan erupted from his throat, left ignored. He didn't feel the urge to stifle it any. There was no point in denying what felt so good.

Shadow held back his own verbal responses in the meantime, squeezing his eyes shut as he brought himself as far within the other as he could. It was still an awkward angle, so he was careful as he began to back slowly out. He was, at this point, numb to the feeling on his lip, his mind having shut down to anything but the blinding pleasure.

He did, however, grow aware of the hand slipping between them, and the very satisfying sound that resulted. He bucked instinctively against the hedgehog, eyes opening to see just what Sonic was doing. He felt his blue body tense up, his inner walls once again squeezing tighter at the current intrusion in his backside, making Sonic's hips move a little from side to side as his hand worked up and down his cock.

Sonic was very aroused, that much was quite evident on his face alone. He looked highly content and could only want more until that pressure had built to its limit. He leaned his head over against Shadow, his chin resting on his shoulder. His body shifted more against the striped hedgehog to help start and keep a steady pace to this awkward dance so that he was sliding more, in and out.

By the time Sonic drew their upper bodies closer, Shadow was already fighting his orgasm, his muzzle glistening lightly with sweat as his fur began to lay down. He arched his back towards the other, having no other choice at the moment but to rest his head in the same fashion as Sonic's. Another strained huff passed his lips as he tried to catch his breath, the variations in Sonic's movement keeping him off guard.

He felt his knees weakening, and he tried to slow down for a moment, shifting theo other's weight back where it was before against his frame. He grasped his leg tightly, drawing Sonic in for a few more, increasingly violent thrusts. He didn't know just how long he could keep this up, but judging by the reaction of his muscles, trembling uncontrollably each time he pulled back, it couldn't be long.

Sonic was torn between trying to prolong their intimacy or rush to the grand finale. He knew he wouldn't be lasting much longer anyway, much like his partner. His breath became more and more labored; and a hitched cry suffocated in his throat.

The azure hedgehog sped to his release, jerking his hips just as violently back into Shadow's, causing his back to thump harder against the wall he was pinned against. His hand pinched the sensitive, weeping tip of his member as it became painfully obvious that he wasn't about to last a second longer.

Sonic wailed a second time but silenced the cry half way by biting quite roughly into Shadow's shoulder from where his chin once nestled. His muscles spasmed and constricted painfully tight, feeling every inch of the texture inside of him as he cummed against the other and himself, spending every last drop, and what felt like every last ounce of his energy as well.

Shadow was taken by surprise, but didn't have long to dwell on it. Seconds before (had it been seconds? Longer? Only a split-second? Shadow had lost all sense of time) Shadow had been worried that he would finish before Sonic had the chance, and that the hedgehog would surely take out his frustration on him.

Now, however, he was complaining about the pain in his shoulder in a deep tone, breaking to catch his breath as he felt his own seed start to erupt, causing him to slip out of the other from the complete lack of friction. He slammed his body forward to balance Sonic between his body and the wall, grabbing for his shaft to complete his climax, trying his best to mimick Sonic's hand gestures on his own member. He grunted helplessly as he finished, every muscle in his body shaking weakly, threatening to drop the two of them to the floor.

His knees buckled, and he reached a hand back to catch himself on the floor, an arm snaking around Sonic to pull him on top. It was an automatic, protective gesture, but not one that went unnoticed. The moment he realized what he had done, he let go, pushing himself into more of a sitting position. He panted, feeling as if he were aching all the way to his bones, and he wished Sonic hadn't decided to return the favor to his shoulder that he'd done only a couple of days before, but he had no right to complain, and therefore kept silent aside from the heavy breathing laced with exhausted grunts.

Sonic was basically left on his lap. He was exhausted and laid his head against that comfortable white, soft chest. He hadn't really thought about what he did when he bit him, overwhelmed by emotions, he had to do something to endure it, even if it might not make sense. For the time being, he listened to Shadow's fast heart beat and the sounds of their breaths beating against the air. It was strangely relaxing and if he had let himself could have easily fell asleep right then and there.

Slowly, he pushed himself off of him, not wanting to impose when he remembered the other's injuries. He had a fleeting concern that somehow he might have hurt himself while they were doing it but doubted it. He ended up sitting next to him, feeling rather messy, but ignored it for the time being. He glanced at Shadow, a weak smile on his face, but he wasn't exactly sure what to say. The thing he wanted to say was shot down immediately and ideas of something more witty and obnoxious entered his mind, also turned down. So he sat there, feeling and looking a bit more awkward than he should, as he peeled his gloves off, one too dirty for his liking.

Shadow licked his lips, dry from the heavy breathing, and watched the top of Sonic's head for a moment. His thighs were still twitching involuntarily, and he tried repeatedly to focus on making the irksome spasming stop, to no avail. His breathing slowed, but stayed labored, his eyes trailing over each short, blue hair on the other's ear closest to him, and a frown of concentration grew on his muzzle.

His ears laid back automatically as he swallowed dryly, licking his lips a second time. Shadow reached a gloveless hand up shakily, setting his sights on that thick, furry ear, but Sonic moved, causing his heart to leap in his chest. His hand shot back to the floor instantly, the striped hedgehog doing his damnedest to make himself look as neutral as ever.

Taking a final, heavy sigh, he caught Sonic eying him and he looked over silently before turning away. He hadn't minded the other so close, but after all that had happened, he wondered if he perhaps brought out the worst in Sonic. He contemplated bringing this up, but it might still upset the other. The other, who seemed to have stopped his teasing about Shadow's 'feelings' entirely.

Feeling a bit discouraged about either way he could lead the conversation, or rather, start it, he pushed to his feet, ignoring his shakiness. For the third time in only a short while, Shadow needed to lie down. He wordlessly began to walk away, planning on leaving Sonic to sort things out alone. He'd ask about where he would bathe later.

"Shadow."

Sonic kept his mouth open as though he'd say something more before shutting it, suddenly remembering his earlier dilemma.

He looked the other way, looking strangely disappointed. There was something missing and perhaps he shared the same fear Shadow might but whatever concerns he had he masked with a wave to see him off.


	19. On Guard

"Oi! Shadow!" It was a bit later in the afternoon and he had just returned from an confrontational outing. A glint of something was caught in his hands from his return and given his current state, it didn't seem he had ran into much trouble, if any.

Shadow had passed the time pacing and contemplating over what was a reasonable amount of time to wait before he went after Sonic. He settled on two hours, but he started lowering that time, thinking back to how easy it was for him to be killed. Shadow leaned against the wall about the time he came back into the hidden palace, folding his arms over his chest. He frowned, deciding that he'd give the hedgehog ten more minutes. He could, perhaps, trust him that far.

At that moment, Sonic chirped his name at an annoying volume, and he pushed away from the wall, appearing from the shadows of the far side of the bedroom.

Sure enough he had the other's rings in his hands, showing them off like they were his. He was pleased he managed to accomplish the task without the problems that could have easily occurred. Sonic honestly thought he was going to have some trouble. Fortunately life spared him some mercy when he insisted he'd go instead of Shadow. It was the least he could do since he took it upon himself to gather up all of their supplies.

"Sorry I took so long. Thought I'd enjoy the fresh air for a while before I came back." He smirked as he wandered over, holding them out for him to take. "Hopefully you didn't get too bored without me."

Snorting at the excuse, Shadow kept walking slowly, intently towards the other until the rings were within his reach. He took them from him and eyed Sonic as he spoke, snapping the power suppressors back around his wrists. "Unlikely to ever happen." He paused once he had both wrists taken care of, looking over the remaining two as a thought came to his head.

Honestly, could it hurt to have Sonic wear them? Just in case? If he had a problem controlling himself, then perhaps...

No, that was the only time he'd ever seen Sonic do such, and the first time he'd ever heard anything about it. He assumed it was safe to trust Sonic for now; besides, he wasn't even sure that it was the same Chaos energy the rings repelled. Coming to this conclusion, he stooped to fasten the remaining two around his ankles before he stood back up.

Once Shadow was fastening the last set of his rings Sonic headed over to the bed to lay down. He stretched out on his back, feeling more tired the second he laid down. He wasn't sure when he started to feel tired again but he supposed the adrenaline of just being out had taken some toll on him.

"Tired?" Shadow had trailed behind him once he finished and leaned over his frame, looking boredly at the hedgehog. He uprighted himself and placed a hand on his hip, staring at the doorway as he considered leaving.

"I couldn't sleep." He was tired himself, but he'd already tried to get some rest, to no avail. He found his mind was working far too hard. It made Shadow wonder how he was able to sleep at all since Knuckles died.

Sonic gave a weary smile, stifling a yawn. "Oh?" He murmured thoughtfully, ears laying back in relaxation. "That's because I was gone." How could he expect him to sleep if he was worrying that entire time about him?

"Try again?" It was an option but he didn't really care what Shadow decided to do so long as he himself got some rest.

Shadow clacked his tongue, figuring that he should have seen this coming. He glared at him, "It wasn't while you were ...gone." He slowed down near the end of the sentence, realizing that whatever the case, where ever the hedgehog was, it had indeed only been the times that he tried to sleep alone that he'd failed to get any rest.

Now that he really thought of it, it worked the other way as well. Since the responsibility of the Emerald had fallen to him, he hadn't slept once without sharing a bed with the other. Shadow found this greatly disturbing, but was a touch relieved by the fact that his sleeplessness started well before he became... involved more in the hedgehog's life.

The troubled expression took a moment for Shadow to replace with his usual neutral gaze, which he redirected to the, now, very short candles, the tiny flames showing a flicker of his insecurity.

Sonic fought the urge to let his eyes close and blind him to the world despite how heavy the lids were getting. He saw the strangely troubled look on Shadow's face and was instantly interested. "What?"

The striped hedgehog frowned, the corners of his mouth twitching as his mind started to wander again, "Nothing." He honestly didn't know what to say at that point. He'd started questioning everything a lot more than usual, things that didn't have to be questioned. He was second guessing himself, suspicious of his own motives, more trusting of the other hedgehog than his own self, and that in itself was absurd.

"Hedgehog," he turned back, looking only slightly curious as he sat down on the edge of the bed before swinging his legs beneath him, placing himself on all fours, "tell me. What do you think of me?" He expected an insult, so he wouldn't be too surprised when it came. 'Emo' seemed to be a particular favorite of the other; he was prepared to ask, for once, just what that meant. Maybe Sonic thought he was being completely irresponsible, Shadow having not looked after the Master Emerald even once. Or perhaps, simply, a 'faker.'

Sonic, however, was taken off guard by the other's question, allowing him to find the strength to keep his eyes open a little while longer. He wasn't sure what made him ask and judging by the serious look he had, he reconsidered making a joke out of it. It would have been too easy anyway.

"Are you really interested in my opinion?" He was a little surprised by that factor alone. He never seemed to care what anyone else thought about him so why he was suddenly asking this left him baffled. He didn't show it on his face any, however; but he attempted to seriously think about the answer before Shadow gave him his.

"Nn. Perhaps." Shadow continued to lean just slightly over the other, looking very expectant. Before Sonic had time to answer, however, he narrowed his eyes, looking off to the side. He sat back, legs folded beneath him as he reconsidered, "No, that's ridiculous, I suppose not."

A single digit met his chin thoughtfully, sliding over his lips and stopping there to rest. "But, say, if I were to expect an answer from you anyway...?" Shadow trailed off, this time giving him time to respond.

Sonic smiled knowingly and closed his eyes a moment to think. It didn't take him too long to put his thoughts together. When he opened his eyes, he hummed thoughtfully as he looked up at him, appearing rather casual about the whole thing. "Ah, well... Let's see... I think you're stubborn, irrationally always on guard, it sometimes makes you boring; grouchy..." Just when you'd think Sonic simply meant to mock or insult him, he seemed to change direction, continuing without missing a beat, "Strong willed, intriguing, responsible.. Heh, and kind of everything I'm not." This was probably one of those cases where opposites seemed to attract. Shadow was obviously strong in places Sonic lacked, not that he'd admit much more than that.

"All in all, you're an alright guy in my book. Maybe even... ah, a little more than that." Sonic cleared his throat awkwardly but was quick to keep talking, "But don't go getting the big head on me." He added with a teasing smile.

"Anyway, hope that answers your question."

Shadow's fingers rested near his mouth thoughtfully, his palm concealing the downwards curve of his lips. He pursed his lips together, ears twitching at a particular description that caught his attention, and while he absorbed the rest of what was said, he focused very intently on that one phrase, the rest not being given much thought.

He uncovered his mouth, unfolding his legs from beneath him and crossed them. "I'm 'irrationally always on guard'?" His arms folded, and he looked at the hedgehog demandingly. "Explain."

Sonic smiled in amusement. "You're kind of doing it now, bud." Realizing he wasn't going to be getting sleep any time soon, the hedgehog forced himself to sit upright to better discuss this.

"I mean, come on. Isn't it obvious? You don't seem to trust anyone. It's always like someone has a hidden motive with you. You're afraid to take a chance and put yourself out there, emotionally and physically."

Shadow's ears pinned back with distaste. He felt his accusation was uncalled for. He did what he knew was best from learning the nature of living beings. He didn't think he was doing anything too particularly irrational.

Well, this whole thing was irrational. If you had to get into all of that. But he decided to not point that out for now, "And just what would you suggest, then?" If Sonic thought he should act like he did, well, that was a laugh.

A good question though, one that seemed unlikely for Sonic to be able to answer. He wasn't really sure what to say either as he shrugged his shoulder. "Take that chance? Stop over-thinking everything and just... ah, go with the flow?" Even though he didn't say act like himself, he said it in so many other words, he could almost laugh. He wondered if Shadow would notice and waited expectantly for him to either outright refuse or scoff.

"You mean 'stop thinking'. I don't over-think. I think things through." Shadow looked at the hedgehog with a very serious expression. He didn't exactly catch on to what was meant, but he did understand that Sonic was still suggesting that reasoning was unreasonable. How strange to question Shadow's logic, when it was something that the other seemed incapable of in everyday situations. You had to make sure the timing was right, know whether it was a good situation, or bad, read expressions, gestures, body language, know every detail of the room.

How the hell did Sonic survive this long without scrutinizing every detail of his environment and the people he talked to? It made a guy wonder...

"You, on the other hand..."

Sonic wasn't in the mood. When he started to mention him, he just grunted, uninterested in the comparison. He laid back down, this time on his belly, and buried his head against the pillow. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

Shadow was slightly surprised by the other's reaction, his ears flipping forward in curiosity as the hedgehog put his back to him, acting a bit defeated. Either he was just too tired to argue or he was put off a bit by his response. He seriously doubted the likelihood of Sonic having any reason to turn down what was clearly a favorite pastime of his: bickering.

He placed a gloveless hand on Sonic's lower back, leaning in towards him with a questioning expression on his face, "Did I upset you?"

Sonic lifted his head up some so he wasn't exactly smothering himself. His ears laid back, rolling over the question in his head. He was tired, that was the main issue, and though Shadow obviously meant nothing too personal by the comment, he wondered if maybe he didn't think over things enough; and if that would have had any part in what happened when he changed into Dark Sonic.

He felt like half of him was just looking for ways to blame himself. He was just tired.

"Meh... actually, I'm kind of wondering what you might think of me. But I don't know if I want to hear the answer."

"Then should I not say?" Shadow had to think over exactly what he felt on the matter. True, he felt the other was a bit irrational himself, but he had already made his point on this already, apparently with bad results. He figured it was best to not say anything too derogatory, but he would wait until Sonic answered his question before he decided exactly how much he would say. By now, he'd forgotten about the hand on the other's back, and it relaxed, sliding lightly back towards his side. Just the fingertips rested against his hip, but he still leaned forward a little to watch the hedgehog for any changes in expressive gestures.

Blue sighed, looking obviously discontent, and wished he had just went to sleep like he wanted to. "I don't know." He mumbled uncertainly. "I don't suppose it matters." He'd always have doubt and be second guessing himself if he didn't hear his opinion on the matter. But if he did hear it and got the result he dreaded, he'd still feel bad.

Sonic had Shadow in a corner. He wasn't sure whether to answer him, or leave him be. He'd never seen the other act this way until today, and was unfamiliar with the way he wanted to be treated. Shadow even wondered if Sonic knew how he wanted to be treated. It was essentially trial and error.

Black and red fingers snaked back through the blue fur, the palm of his hand pressing firmly on the other's back as he adjusted himself, stretching his legs out towards the foot of the bed. He laid down at last, also on his front side like the other, and folded his arms before his face, resting his chin on them. His eyes closed, and he thought for a moment, still not entirely certain what this called for.

Finally, he turned to his side, reaching for Sonic's ear to massage it tentatively between thumb and fingers, his voice tiny and only slightly audible, "I don't suppose I dislike you any... if you ... thought I might."

Sonic was a little surprised by the contact but readily leaned his head into it, if just a little. His eyelids fell lower, nearly lulling closed as Shadow made the effort to massage him; and looked over when he spoke up, hearing him out despite how small his voice was. It made his eyes open wider as he absorbed the information, startled by what he decided to say. He was amazed at how good it felt to hear that.

"Really? I mean..." He smiled a little as he tried to gather his thoughts, really not sure what to say. He felt awkward and almost bashful but ended up moving a little closer. He reached up, nudging the other's arm around him, forcing it to abandon its earlier task.

"I'm glad."

"Hm," Shadow's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but managed a gentle expression as he did so. Sonic seemed particularly eager for a moment there, but at least he felt that he'd achieved his goal of getting the other to abandon at least some of the negative thought.

He allowed his arm to be moved, although a bit reluctantly. He honestly had liked the feeling of the velvety fur beneath his fingers. Instead he settled on taking advantage of the hedgehog's warmth, something that seemed to help him find unconsciousness a lot faster than he would on his own. He still felt a bit awkward with his arm there, but he acted casual about it as best he could, not piecing together why he had to convince himself every time they did anything that it wasn't such a bad idea, or why he wanted to. He curled his other arm back under his head, closing his eyes.

"I wonder if you aren't finding more in my words than was said, hedgehog." Shadow, who was half asleep, had no intention of saying that aloud, nor did he realize he had. He meant to keep his observations to himself, not sure if something like that would drive the other back into his pout. Sonic didn't exactly do that though. He was readily capable of knowing better, and assuming things in a more positive light than Shadow was able to accept just yet.

"I wonder when you're going to let your guard down?" He mumbled just as softly, a knowing smile planted on his lips, though he was more than willing to fall on to sleep than wait for a response from the equally tired hedgehog.

Already asleep, the ebony hedgehog would probably not have responded to such a question anyway. Now, however, he was faced with yet another haunting dream, one that made him frown and flex his arms, pulling the other closer to him.

Shadow could only sleep for a few hours before the dream startled him awake. He kicked violently before his back arched, the movement waking him. He realized what happened, his heart pounding against his ribs as if trying to escape.

He sat up, not noticing if he had awoken the other quite yet. He opened his eyes, keeping his breathing rhythmically sound, trying to remember everything that he saw. The last dreams all held some basis in reality, but as he went over the details of this one, he couldn't think of any reason it could be real.

Moving a hand to massage his temple, Shadow glanced out of the corner of his eye to see if the other hedgehog was roused from his sleep by such a violent burst from the Guardian.

He made him stir, but he took his time opening his eyes, hoping for a second he could just fall back asleep. Shadow swallowed, staring at the sea of blue in his line of sight (who still appeared to be asleep to him), grayed by the lack of light in the room. From what he could tell, there were only a couple of candles still lit. He'd have to find more later. For now, he waited, trying to sort out his conflicting thoughts.

Shadow debated saying anything or moving when he thought the other was starting to, but now that the blue hedgehog was remaining motionless as before, he had to decide just how he would go about getting out of bed. For some reason, he almost felt guilty about being so tempted to get up without him.

With a gentle, controlled sigh, Shadow pressed his ears flat in concentration as he moved over towards the edge of the bed. He didn't have a chance to follow through in the end. Blue had attempted to stay quiet to see what he was up to until a sudden pain jolted him and made him cringe. In a flash of dark blue, a gush of wind blew out the remaining candles as an unsteady, zig-zagging Sonic darted from the room, down the hall, and into the bathroom without a word.

Completely taken aback by the other's behavior, Shadow couldn't help but feel something was amiss. He seemed in pain just before his exit. Shadow immediately pushed the covers aside, moving quickly out into the hallway to follow after him.


	20. Impending Illness

Blue ears flattened out at a distinct angle, signifying some of the distress he was under. His body trembled as he attempted to heave out nothing, his stomach otherwise empty of anything he would have ate lately, but hadn't considering his loss of appetite. It made it that much more painful to endure but he stopped by the time Shadow was imploring about the situation.

"Should... I... Is there anything I... can..." He trailed off, the discomfort apparent in his voice as Shadow stepped forward, stopping a couple of feet from the seemingly helpless blue figure.

Sonic sat in front of the toilet, having woken up to a sharp pang in his gut and terrible nausea. He was sick, and maybe it wasn't too surprising considering the incident with Dark Sonic. Afterwards, his body was left at such an incredibly weak state, his immunity was down, and he must have been left open to a virus. He felt like his temperature had changed in an instant, making him damp with sweat, or maybe he somehow hadn't noticed it before. He loathed the bad taste in his mouth with a disgusted look on his face, leaning back from where he had just threw up, and turning away on his knees.

He looked up, a little caught off guard by the expression on the other's face. Reactively, he forced a smile on his. His stomach still ached but not as bad as it felt when he initially woke up that drove him to the bathroom so hastily. "Oi, don't look so traumatized. I'm fine, alright?" He assured but hesitated before deciding to push himself to his feet in order to shake off a look of vulnerability. "I just caught something, it's no big. I'm sure I'll feel better in no time."

Not looking too convinced, Shadow leaned back against the wall, arms folded across his chest, his eyes well adjusted to the dark by now. "Hm." He watched thoughtfully, a frown set upon his beige muzzle. After staring so relentlessly, Shadow finally looked away, still feeling awkward. It really did seem strange to think that Sonic could get sick.

The smell of acid stung his nose, and he turned to glance over at the low waste bowl, assuming that there was a certain way in which its contents should be disposed of. Probably needed to be taken out to the lava pits. He wasn't sure, but he would tend to that in a moment, as soon as he felt it was safe to leave Sonic alone again. It might be a while.

Unable to take the silence for too much longer, the blue hedgehog decided to change the subject for both their benefits. Giving the other a suspicious look, one that wasn't at all serious, he referred to earlier before his stomach pains attacked him. "So what was with you trying to sneak out on me earlier, hm?" Sonic arched a brow, doing well to ignore his current sickness.

Shadow froze, feeling the guilt tear at him again. To be honest, he didn't know. He couldn't explain the panic that flooded his mind, the sudden, unexplainable dependence he seemed to have on the other. It seemed more and more that Sonic was convincing him that his uncertainty was irrelevant, and that he needed to forget all the paranoid ideas he came up with.

That hedgehog had trained the Guardian to feel this guilt, albeit entirely unintentionally. He sighed miserably, still avoiding the other's gaze. "Do you need to stay close?" He nodded to the side, a gesture to the toilet of sorts.

Sonic furrowed a quizzical brow before he glanced over his shoulder, his face posing an expression of distaste. He moved away from it, waving his hand in a manner that suggested Shadow to follow.

"Yeah, I'll do something about that later." He mumbled, not exactly having the stomach for it now, nor did he expect Shadow to.

"But ya know, you never answered me." He glanced over his shoulder at him with eyebrows raised expectantly, a teasing grin quirking up the corners of his lips.

"Nor you mine," Shadow mumbled, following. His question meant to be asking if Sonic was feeling better. This would have to be a yes. With intentions to answer the question posed to him as soon as they got out of the room, Shadow held off on continuing, but as they came into the lighted hallway, he looked up, catching the expression on Sonic's face, and immediately looked away.

"Seemed like the thing to do at the time, I suppose..." his voice softened, the guilt flaring. Sonic was focusing all his attention on the striped hedgehog, being very sincere, and trying to help the two get along. Shadow was... well... trying to keep his distance wherever possible. Avoiding Sonic's gaze, the hedgehog muttered an apology, turning at once to walk back to the room.

"And I told you I was fine." Blue assured, aware he hadn't answered his question appropriately before, although he wasn't exactly satisfied with the way Shadow just answered his.

Seeing him retreating so hastily, his curiosity peaked, but so threatened his stomach pains. His arms wrapped around his mid-section as he mentally berated himself for being ill. Deciding to question Shadow at another time, he took his time heading back to their room, not in such a hurry as he was when he made his abrupt leave to the bathroom. What a nuisance feeling being so tired especially when he just woke up. The last thing he wanted was to go back to sleep.

Back in the room, the striped hedgehog slipped into his shoes, sighing irritably as he stood. By now Sonic probably thought of him as utterly two-faced, a total flake. He managed to start out of the room right as Sonic entered. Shadow backed up to let the hedgehog go in, watching with reserved interest. He said nothing, arms folding casually over his torso, elbows resting on his hips.

Dulled green eyes noticed his shoes as he brushed by. Sonic's arms fell at his sides as he stopped and looked at him, wondering if he had further intentions of leaving like what appeared to be the case earlier. Going for a simple stroll around the palace was fine, however; a journey further away from here made Sonic feel uncomfortable for a variety of reasons. "Do you want to leave?"

Shadow blinked, clueless. Was Sonic asking him to? It took him a moment to piece together what he meant. He glanced down at his dressed feet before looking back at the hedgehog, a distant, apologetic expression still on his face. "Mm. No," he leaned against a wall, hugging his own waist protectively, "I'd rather not walk around here without shoes. The floor feels a little unsettling." While it was rather cool, there were still parts where condensation gathered on the tile, and this was particularly uncomfortable to the dark-furred Guardian, whose soles were furless.

"Ah." Seemed reasonable to Sonic. Even if the factor played interest in Shadow's recently suspicious behavior. Sonic supposed he couldn't stop him from doing whatever he wanted right now anyway. Not that he wouldn't try. However, with new problems plaguing him, he put any doubts aside and went over to the bed to rest his bottom.

"This sucks." He grunted, still struggling to ignore his stomach pains. "I feel as if I've been cursed or something. But I guess it's just a stroke of bad luck." He stretched his arms out behind him, leaning back on his hands; the tips of his ears drooping over.

"Maybe if I try to eat something I'll feel better?" He sounded as if he was talking to himself. He doubted the ability to keep anything down at the moment but it has been an abnormally long time since he's ate anything.

Shadow watched, concerned, from where he leaned against the stone. After a beat, he rolled forward off of his heels, stepping quietly towards the other. Expressionless to almost everyone else, his eyes absently followed Sonic's invisible gaze, then returned to rest on the small blue frame, only whispers of his outline visible in the dark room.

His eyes narrowed instinctively as the hedgehog thought, a frown tugging at his tan muzzle. He did agree that it was probably about time the other ate. Had the younger known anything about blood sugar, he would likely pin it as a suspect.

Sonic's mention of the idea of being cursed made Shadow pretty uneasy too, he had to admit. He was just waiting for a sudden loss of powers, or their place of rest to be discovered. Maybe this was the punishment? No, it was too small, too simple. This made Shadow even more tense at the thought of what he'd done.

He sat next to the hedgehog for a moment to rest, searching in the dark for those familiar emerald eyes. Any consolation he could offer with his own set of rubies, Shadow certainly would, but in a sense, he was relieved it was so dark. Less so dreary to him, and more so protecting his ego from whatever battery of smart remarks he expected from the other at the expression he set upon his face. He felt almost exposed.

Instead of pushing his concern, Shadow purred weakly in agreement, opening his mouth to speak dryly, "Shall we go, then? Perhaps something small in the kitchens could help?"

Sonic was reluctant to get up despite the idea. He had just sat down but he was willing to backtrack and head for the kitchen even if he was feeling disturbingly lazy.

The look Shadow was giving him made him feel a little awkward too thus fueling his newly found motivation. He may not be able to see well in the dark but he saw enough to know the other was concerned – if his tone alone hadn't verified it.

"Yeah... let's see." With a nod of his head, Sonic strained to show a little more energy as he stood back up. He smiled and gestured with his hand for him to follow before heading out the door. "We'll both get something. You've gotta be hungry too, right?" He couldn't remember when the other hedgehog ate.

Shadow trailed behind him in silence. Thinking about what the other was saying, he couldn't agree more. He was hungry before they even slept. But he kept it to himself for his sake. If, what he still considered, his guest wasn't hungry, it was impolite to eat before him.

Sonic rightfully assumed he was despite the lack of a reaction as they stepped foot after foot through the dusty hall. His arms remained stiffened at his sides to keep from expressing any discomfort that would ordinarily have him cradling his stomach. His gloved fingers flexed throughout the small trip until they arrived; and he was first to head for where he put the chili dogs the other day.

Sonic hesitated, however. His favorite food didn't exactly seem like the best choice when he was ill to his stomach. Maybe just a small snack or something? He wasn't sure what else he'd be in the mood for or what else Shadow might have gotten. He couldn't remember.

Shadow sifted through the survival kits, a frown growing quickly across his muzzle. "Mm," he gave a disapproving grunt, furrowing his brow, "Most of these require fresh water. That will deplete our supply quickly." He stood, dropping an open bag at his feet, the small packages tumbling out around it. His dark gaze settled on the ceiling for a moment as he thought aloud. "I suppose if you had to get water from a natural source, a cave near a volcanic region would be the most pure of sources, but..." Shadow's voice trailed off upon the realization that he was rambling, and he lowered his head to glance over at the other. "Hm. For now, we'll be alright. I can go back out to get more water if necessary." No big deal.

"Yeah, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Sonic knelt down by one of the coolers and began to look through it, finding nothing of interest right away. His lips were pursed in distaste as he prodded at some of the freeze-dried meals. It was thoughtful of Shadow to think to get him some chili dogs but it was too bad he didn't think to pick up anything else that didn't look so unappealing. Not that he'd complain. That would just seem selfish and rude. Besides that, it wasn't like they had a lot of choice these days.

He settled for a cold hotdog after all, abandoning his adored chili in order to make the meal a little lighter on his stomach. He whipped it up in no time and straightened up, standing by the cooler he retrieved it from.

He looked over at Shadow, delaying the time he could be eating. "So what are you going to eat?"

A thoughtful grunt escaped the striped hedgehog's lips as he found a package of blueberry granola. He turned it over in his hands before holding it by the corner of the bag and extending it in Sonic's direction. "This, I suppose."

He turned away, stooping over one of the large jugs of water. He poured a bit into the bag and tipped the bottle upright, replacing the lid. As he stood, Shadow swirled the contents of the bag with uncertainty. He frowned, then held the package out to the side as he searched for some sort of utensil to stir with.

Coming up empty, he prodded at it with a finger, breaking the dried milk down into the water. Eventually he figured out just how to mix it evenly, and settled on pouring it directly from the bag into his mouth for a taste. Not too much worse from the food Rouge fed him. The milk seemed to be the only real problem. He didn't mind the cereal or dried fruit too much.

Sonic watched, not wanting to imagine how it'd taste himself. His bets were it wouldn't be good yet the other seemed content. He figured he was faking most of it. You'd think he'd at least settle for a chili dog first though, right?

Sonic looked down at the waiting hotdog in his hands, not at all feeling hungry, despite what his stomach really needed. He brought it up to his lips, hesitated further, then bit into the hotdog, taking a small bite. He chewed it up swiftly and swallowed, amazed at how unsatisfactory it was. Still, he forced himself to take another bite, swallowing it down as fast as the first.

Not particularly enjoying himself either, Shadow downed the rest of the bag, more interested in filling himself than the flavor of the meal. He wiped absently at a damp spot at the corner of his mouth with a thumb, discarding the package on a table. Turning back to the other, he grew a small look of curiosity, pursing his lips uncertainly. "Something wrong?" He wondered if Sonic eating so soon after being sick was honestly going to help him feel any better.

Sonic smiled although it looked more like a cringe. He gave a thumbs up before taking another bite. This time he chewed it up slower than the first two as he slumped more comfortably against a wall. He sighed around his mouthful and swallowed it down, obviously not as content as he was trying to appear.

Shadow moved in towards the other quickly but soundlessly, giving a flat look, "You're going to make yourself sick again." A gentle hand fell upon Sonic's forearm, the other hand moving to take the food from the dissatisfied hedgehog. A thoughtful frown and sincere eyes directed themselves to the other. Shadow uncharacteristically stood close enough for their legs to brush, but his expression showed no signs of him acknowledging this fact. He was more focused on removing a potential threat from the other.

The corners of Sonic's lips turned downward into a frown before any contents remaining in his mouth were swallowed down with the rest. "I was hoping it'd make me feel better." Unfortunately that didn't seem to be the case. At least he wasn't on the verge of puking again. He might actually be able to keep this down but if he had continued at the rate he was going the results might not have been so positive.

His ears drew back in acknowledgment of Shadow's leg and the fact he was standing so close. He looked at him, feeling surprised at himself as he felt incapable of handling the expression he saw in his eyes, making his peach painted cheeks turn red. After all he's instigated with Shadow, he still managed to get that weird, butterfly feeling in his stomach at this seemingly random point in time. Or maybe that was just more of his sickness?

Shadow seemed ignorant of all of this as he turned away, walking back to the table and dropping the remnants of Sonic's meal into the granola bag. "If you're still hungry, then perhaps it's best you have something lighter." Arms folded, he raised his gaze to meet Sonic's. "Is there anything that won't make you sick?"

Sonic shrugged his shoulder, leaning forward from the wall and switching his weight to one leg, then back again to the other. "I don't think I'm hungry now anyway." He wasn't exactly hungry when he made the hotdog to begin with but he had hoped to ease a seriously empty stomach. Unfortunately, whatever he caught wouldn't allow it. This drew a raised brow from Shadow, whose arms relaxed slightly in disbelief. "Are you certain, hedgehog?" He eyed Sonic's 'casual' posture. Something was off. The hedgehog was still uncomfortable, almost miserable in appearance, despite how he looked at first sight. Shadow wasn't sure how to approach this since the other didn't particularly invite his sense of concern.

Sonic felt he could act sick and make this into an even bigger pain (and bring down Shadow with him) or he could try to endure it, acting as positive as possible. His natural reaction was probably the opposite of what one would normally behave in his current predicament, but something Shadow may already be aware of.

"Yeah, I'll try to eat a little later. Maybe my stomach will ease up then." He placed a hand over his tanned belly for emphasis, giving it a single pat before forcing his hand away.

He smirked, looking a little strained, but another attempt to act well. "But you can keep acting all concerned. It's kind of cute." If anything could shut Shadow up or stop his current behavior, that was it.

Wide-eyed, he turned away, visibly pouting as his arms hugged his chest tighter in the tension that built throughout his body. A scowl formed, and Shadow grumbled incoherently, cursing both of them under his breath. After a final growl, he rushed out of the room, head low and teeth bared bitterly, fists clenched by his sides.

If that hedgehog thought he cared for one second, he was fooling himself. And for him to say something like that... He slowed in the hallway, fuming and wanting very much to attack something at the moment.

Sonic almost laughed. It was amusing to see him get so worked up especially over something so obvious. Feelings Shadow continued to try and deny, but wasn't fooling anyone. He followed him out into the hall, glad for the current distraction that had him wiggling under Shadow's skin, even in this predicament. "Oi, Shads, why so hasty?"

Shadow bristled, head lowering even more between rising shoulders. After biting his lip, he reeled on the other and got close, fury burning in his fiery red eyes. "Don't make me--..." Shadow got quiet for a moment, a bit flustered by the whole situation, "Just.. just don't!" He squeezed his fists tighter, the corners of his mouth twitching, before he turned around again, absolutely, ragingly embarrassed that the other could get to him like that.

Those furry blue ears automatically went back disarmingly as his hands went up, meaning to ward him off mockingly as a smile graced his lips. Shadow lacked any real intimidation once he failed to complete his sentence, spurring on another smirk from Sonic; appearing briefly un-ill.

"Okay, okay. Chill out, emo-kid." He approached him from behind, taking advantage of Shadow's back turned towards him. His arms slipped around him from behind, resting his chin against the top of his shoulder. "You're big and bad and can't have feelings. I understand." He attempted a serious expression but the unwavering grin on his face made him fail.

Shadow growled, but when those arms went around his slender frame in a sneak attack, his body froze in place, torn between emotions. He rolled his eyes, relaxing so not to hurt the other, and sighed miserably, slumping against the other's hold on him. Shadow couldn't believe how defeated he felt, and how easy it was for him to get that way with a simple touch. "Shut up, hedgehog." His voice was tired, worn away; it's owner tried and tested to the ends of his nerves. He didn't know what to think anymore, but he didn't want to fight it as much as he thought he should.

There was a thoughtful hum as Shadow considered his demands, smile gradually fading. "Aw, you know how hard that is for me." He mused, his arms slowly slipping off of him. He went around to stand in front of him, scratching behind Shadow's ear along the way. "But if that's what you want, I suppose I could try." He moved his hands away to rest back at his sides as he tapped his toes against the floor, making a point of each second that passed, he was silent.

The striped hedgehog couldn't help but lean in just an inch to the contact on his ear before he composed himself, realizing what Sonic was doing. He furrowed his brow as he watched, listening to what the other had to say. As Sonic finished, he felt his jaw drop just a bit, a lingering question he couldn't complete resting at the tip of his tongue.

It took him a moment to figure out exactly what the other was up to. Well, this was surprisingly awkward. He tilted his head to stare at the floor for a moment as the gears worked in his head, trying to think of the next thing to do or say. Was Sonic really going to avoid speaking until Shadow gave him the okay? It certainly seemed like it, and despite the very short time that was passing, he felt increasingly uncomfortable with each passing second, eyes wandering nervously about as he tried to decide how to handle this situation. With Sonic absolutely silent, he could do anything. Perhaps get any work done that was needed around here.. or.. well..

This was ridiculous. Finally, after only a quarter of a minute, he clenched his eyes shut, frowning pointedly, "Just forget it. Don't be absurd."

Eyebrows rose skeptically as Sonic's arms crossed coolly over his chest. He switched tapping feet, leaning his weight on the other leg.

Sonic still didn't say anything. Instead he hummed an 'are you sure?' Giving him a chance to fully make up his mind and decide which way he wanted things. Either way, he found himself amused, and distracted from his upset stomach.

Shadow glanced back at the other, not entirely surprised by the lack of a reaction. "Don't give me that stupid look." Eyes narrowed to make his point, then he looked away after only a moment, feeling a strong desire to roll his eyes upward at the other's playfulness. He didn't know why he put up with it, how he put up with it, but he did. It was just one of those mysteries in life.

Sonic smiled with a chuckle following after out of his peach colored muzzle. He nodded and faked a sigh of relief. "Wow, you had no idea how hard that was! I guess I'm glad you can't get enough of this voice either." He winked flirtatiously.

Shadow rubbed his face tiredly, feeling absolutely pushed to his limits. It wasn't that silence was difficult for the other that bothered him, although it might have been the main issue had Sonic not continued. Now, however, the little monster was suggesting he liked that endlessly flowing voice of his.

"You live to compliment yourself, don't you?" he peered over the hands that massaged his cheekbones and let them drop to his hips, a condescending stance taken on in the process. "Not too shocking, I suppose." Crimson eyes turned to the right, making Shadow look a bit irritated.

Sonic didn't ponder much as to what to do then. He went on impulse as he started to walk down the dreary hall, suddenly all too aware of the obnoxious, dirty air in here. "I want to go outside." Not necessarily the safest thing to do but if they stuck close by here, he doubted any danger to arise. Some fresh air might do him some good too. That was the main point to his idea. It felt all too stuffy in the ancient palace and with no better idea as to spend his time (and not wanting to return to the bedroom to lay down again) he had decided.

Well aware that he'd just been ignored for the sake of Sonic's distracted mind, Shadow frowned, hugging his own hips loosely. The other already started to walk away, and the striped hedgehog held his ground as he listened, expression unwavering. The moment the last word slipped from the other's lips, however, Shadow was on him, taking wide strides to catch up the short distance, and he came even with Sonic's right, brow knotting in a questioning gesture. "I don't think you should."

Sonic looked over, understanding his concern, but not acknowledging it. He didn't want to considering how fond he was of his new idea. He was sick (literally) and tired of the inside of this place and was certain it'd do him some good to be outside if just for a little while. It was a risk he was willing to take. But he saw the dangers as something minor so long as he didn't go too far from the palace.

"Being cooped up like this just isn't sitting well with me. A little fresh air will do some good."

The frown tugged at the corners of Shadow's lips, "You've already been outside once. You're being careless, and.. " he didn't want to see him get hurt? Shaking his head - Shadow wouldn't say that - he spoke in a low tone, "I don't think you should." Not that he expected Sonic to listen.

He pictured the blue hedgehog racing off at top speed, clueless to the fact that the military could still find him, could track his movements. That's why Shadow preferred Chaos Control. When they'd first come here, it was reasonably safe; the military was far too scattered and confused to organize a motion to monitor the two as they escaped. But now...

"Where, exactly, do you intend to go? Do you really think this will help anything?"

Sonic grew a little less sure of himself but was still intent on getting his way. He could be pretty stubborn about certain things, but he could see more of what Shadow wasn't saying that made him doubt himself in the long run.

He grew closer to the front entrance but ultimately stopped several feet away from the dusty door. He turned towards Shadow, his expression wavering between certainty and the sheer opposite.

"I think it will make me feel better." It couldn't make him feel any worse unless by some chance he did get spotted. There was no way he could stand his ground against anyone who might have it out for him. Undoubtedly, a lot of people these days, but at some point he had hoped to change that. Now of course wouldn't be the time but he didn't want it to hold him back from his freedom.

"I don't want to stay in here."

Shadow hoped he would talk to him. Explain where he was going, what he intended to do. It was a given that he was desperate to stretch his legs, spread his wings and use his powerful, limitless energy for his own amusement. But it went so much deeper than that. Without that freedom, Shadow knew Sonic couldn't survive. He would wither away like a flower without sun, his very soul die within him.

He stopped behind him, sympathy in his eyes. "... I know."

A sigh fell silently from his lips and green eyes looked off to the side, giving this a little more thought. His mind hadn't changed and he could see that Shadow understood more than what he was letting on. "I'll be back soon."

Despite what seemed like a careless need to get out, he wouldn't put Shadow in danger of his own actions. He'd be careful and didn't intend to stay out long anyway. No longer than an hour, probably just thirty minutes.

The second the door was open, he was gone. Shadow followed, with intentions of keeping an eye out, but he went nowhere near as fast as the blue blur that raced off towards Lava Reef so hastily. He took his time shutting the palace door behind them, then started at a walk, heading up the large set of stairs with a neutral expression.

If nothing else, he could provide a distraction for any soldiers that got too close. Already his limp was so faint that he didn't even notice the slightly quick retraction of his leg with each step, and while he wasn't in top condition, he felt much cleaner and much more refreshed than before. That was all he needed to feel confident in his abilities to protect the reckless Sonic, should the need arise.

Seeing that he had already left the volcanic caverns, Shadow fell into a flash of light as he went into Chaos Control, the energy flowing throughout his body, muscles tensing before he could control them enough to shoot forward. His body ripped through time itself, and as he came to a stop, Shadow had to catch his breath, which was relatively easier in the cooler, moister island air above. He found himself on a rock near an old wooden bridge, and he leaned back against the dark, damp stone, almost blending in as he listened to the relaxing sound of the water rushing below.

A distant sound caught his ear, a high-pitched call echoing from the steep cliffs surrounding the floating island. Only a short distance from the eastern side of the bay, Shadow assumed it was a child playing near the trail to Red Mountain.

When the tone and pitch of the call remained consistent, almost desperate in sound, however, the dark hedgehog kept his eyes on the direction of the source, leaning away from the rock face. He took a few steps and dropped into the brush and untamed grasses below, continuing on to the edge of the island, the part that became visible again, as the voice grew more and more audible.

He stood on the edge of Angel Island, arms folded as he looked down at the bay. He still couldn't make out the words of the figure, pale, small, and panicked. But the voice was now recognizable, earning an almost annoyed smirk from Shadow, who turned away to start his search for Sonic, if he hadn't already responded to the noise. It wasn't hard to figure out that the tiny, female voice was pleading for Sonic's return, and undoubtedly Amy'd heard by now the human's side of the story.


	21. Pawns

An ear poised forward at the faint noises rising from a small pink hedgehog. A voice he didn't recognize right away until curiosity drew him closer. When the sound was desperate, Sonic's heroic nature nearly kicked in before he caught sight of another figure first.

"Oi, what's up?" Sonic landed roughly near the other black hedgehog, weary dull eyes peering past him from where the sound was echoing. It was only then he realized just who the voice was coming from. He wasn't sure whether to be eager to greet or run away from the third hedgehog he just knew was looking around below.

Sonic sighed, already knowing what was going on before Shadow had to say anything. He walked to the edge of the island and looked down, assuring himself what he thought before was correct.

Ordinarily he'd have no second thoughts in running the opposite direction but he could only imagine what she or his other friends may be thinking at this point. She could also tell him more about what was going on with the public and media after that whole chaos ensued.

"...Sonic." By now, Shadow'd turned his attention back to the girl, and he looked back to Sonic, a serious expression on his face. A slight paranoia came over him for a moment, and the hedgehog thought for a moment that this could be a trap set up for the two, but it made no sense for Sonic's friends to go along with such, and the idea was dismissed completely.

"What are you going to do, now that they're looking for you?" There was a certain sense of emptiness in his tone that even Shadow himself couldn't explain.

He thought he already knew but when it came time to answering him Sonic was at a loss. "I don't know."

His initial reaction was to greet Amy and explain everything that was going on. Then he started to play and sort out the reactions that would bring and if it was truly the best thing to do. No doubt she'd believe him but he was afraid to get her involved. He was even more afraid of his own explanation.

"What can I say?" Sonic turned his back to the ledge, taking a few steps away as his eyes wandered to the soil beneath his feet, appearing distant.

"I know what she's going to ask and I... I won't be able to deny it." Eggman might have instigated the whole thing, but that's what he does. He was the villain. Sonic was supposed to be the hero. He didn't want to admit that he was able to lose control; and he didn't want to accept it could happen again, when he honestly didn't know.

"Hm." He supposed Sonic knew the others more than he did, but with the sense of desperation in the young girl's voice, he couldn't help but question, "Are you sure?" He took a couple of steps in the hedgehog's direction, red eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the lean, blue figure. Maybe she was here for answers. Maybe she didn't even know what was going on and was just looking for Sonic as usual? After all, how long had they been gone? He couldn't put a finger on the exact amount of time passed, and she was possibly only worried that Sonic hadn't been around her personally within the last few days.

She had been rather notorious for her possessive behavior.

And now, more than ever, Shadow had to question how he felt about that. He wasn't particularly secure with Amy running up and clamping her arms around his-- well. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of her attaching herself to Sonic.

"Maybe she's not angry with you?" he offered.

Sonic held his breath, listening intently, one more time, at Amy's intense cries. That girl... She'd probably still love him no matter what he did anyway. But no... he was determined to keep his mind made up.

Well, maybe not. It didn't take much of Shadow's prying to make him realize, in the next minute following after, he did want to see her. Strange, when he never thought he'd feel that way. Ever. He was sure if it had been any other friend of his he would have felt the same, however.

Sonic turned towards Shadow briefly, unsure if he should invite him down too. He'd follow if he wanted. He didn't plan on staying long with Amy anyway; considering just seconds ago, he intended not to see her at all.

"Maybe." He mumbled, looking back towards the ledge and racing off, dashing to the area around her; and landing semi-gracefully in front of her.

"You call?"

Before Shadow had even landed, Amy was on Sonic, arms around his neck, and the tears she'd held back all day began to stream down her face. She shook violently as she cried out his name once more, choking on her own breath as she tried to control her reaction.

Shadow folded his arms tensely. It was one thing to imagine the girl doing this, but for it to actually happen, and for the whimpering pink hedgehog to stand between Sonic and himself as if he were nonexistent, that was something else entirely. He tried to look away and failed, unaware of the almost accusatory expression he held as he stared at her peach arms warily.

Amy had no idea there was anyone else present as she sobbed, openly now, into the other's shoulder. After a moment, however, she tried once more to compose herself and leaned back, looking hopefully up into Sonic's eyes with a mix of relief and fear. "I thought you were hurt... GUN said.. but then my tarot..." Another choke escaped before she was able to speak coherently, ears folding back against a red hair band. "Where did you go?"

After getting over Amy nearly crushing him with her arms, he looked sheepish, but smiled assuringly despite the uncertainty flickering through revived eyes. Comforting her right away came as something awkward for him. He never was good at that sort of thing, but he hoped she'd calm down eventually. In the mean time, the best he could do to console her was to pat her on the back, a hug reluctantly returned as well.

"Hey, hey. Come on. Don't cry." Considering his hands full, he paid no mind to Shadow for the time being. "I had to disappear for a while, sort some things out. Still have a lot to do." That seemed like an understatement. "You don't have to worry though, I've been fine."

"I was so worried," and if she could stress that point anymore, she probably would, but for now she was too much of a wreck. "I heard on TV.. Sonic.. did Shadow hurt you?"

The sound of someone clearing their throat pointedly caught her off guard, making the hedgehog jump in place before turning her head to face Shadow. How long had he been there? "Oh. I... didn't know you were there... Shadow."

A soft grunt of acknowledgment was the only reply before he managed at last to turn away, looking especially put down by her comment as he stared at the earth. The sunset reflected off the water in the bay, catching his eyes and igniting the discontentment there.

A frown placed its self neatly on Sonic's muzzle as his eyes had immediately followed Amy's, his lips parting to take up for him before letting himself get distracted by the girl again.

Amy looked plainly disappointed in herself for being so careless and potentially rude, but if Sonic had indeed been hurt, she didn't know if she should feel so bad. "Let's go home...?"

Sonic looked at her, smiling miserably. "I can't." Surely she would have been able to figure that much out already though; he didn't want to get into too much detail about all the circumstances. "You go back and assure Tails and everyone I'm okay. What happened was..." Sonic rolled over a lie inside his head, "It was a mistake, an accident."

She started to argue when he jogged her memory, a long forgotten point drawn back into play. "Tails! Oh, I forgot. One second!" Amy released Sonic quickly, stooping to pluck free a radio that had been clipped to the side of her right boot. She upright herself, fidgeting with the device in an attempt to call the fox who was equally as concerned for the nature of Sonic's welfare.

Shadow watched for a moment before his eyes searched Sonic's eagerly, desperate for a sign that this was the time to take their leave. It couldn't be more clear that the Guardian found her company more than a little disconcerting, and if there was anything worse, he couldn't think of it now.

Sonic was considering the possibility the second Amy started fiddling with the radio. Glancing once at Shadow, he was well aware of his feelings on the matter, making up his mind to abandon the thought of seeing Tails too. Things were so complicated, it would be a lot easier to sort out if it was just the two of them anyway.

"No, Amy, I..." He meant to tell her he was leaving, but before he could even finish his sentence, a sharp pain ripped through his stomach like a crossing of bees, making his knees buckle as his arms instinctively cradled himself. He felt an unsettling churning in his gut and he remembered he was sick again. It took all he could not to do a repeat from this morning and spill whatever was left in his empty stomach on the ground. Spending as much energy as he did running around finally caught up to him, reassuring that he wasn't miraculously better yet.

Shadow's eyes widened with concern, his frame leaning in instinctively as a hand rose. His first reaction was to rush to Sonic's aid, but circumstances spoke against this and he allowed his hand to fall back to his side, the dark hedgehog gnawing anxiously on his lower lip instead when Amy, however, had no reserve, and she managed to call Tails's name out once over the radio before Sonic protested and collapsed. Immediately she dropped by his side, arms resting nervously on his shoulders as she faced him as best she could, and causing the striped, ebony hedgehog's stomach to churn perhaps just as terribly.

She allowed some space between them, as she wasn't really sure what Sonic was sick with, but should he feel the urge to vomit, well, it wasn't something she intended to clean out of her dress and boots, if she had any say in the matter.

To beat the awkwardness rising in the air on his side of the situation, Shadow pointed out rather obviously, "He's been sick today." The monotone voice was his only saving grace, otherwise he might have sounded ridiculously ignorant at the moment. As it was, Amy shot him a suspicious glare.

An accusing glare.

And started to speak to Sonic in a cooing tone, hoping to make him feel better somehow by becoming more high pitched and hushed. Shadow felt his lip curl against his better judgment.

Amy's attempt to comfort him wasn't working, however. Sonic hated it, in fact. Her voice, no matter how soft, ended up as gibberish rattling his brain. A migraine was threatening to surface as he put out a shaky hand in hopes of nudging her further away, certain she was the one causing it. "I-I'm fine. Stop worrying." His voice was strained, holding something back. That something was still debating on whether or not to come out of his throat.

He struggled to get to his feet, an obnoxious static noise making him falter. Tails's voice came over the radio, calling out Amy's name. Sonic planted himself more firmly *back* on the ground, and looked up at Shadow. An almost apologetic look mixed with desperation. He felt horrible and as much as Shadow didn't like the company of others, there wasn't much he could do about it right now.

Stripes almost excused himself at the sound of the kit's voice - he did not need a larger audience - but when he caught Sonic's expression, one almost as pathetic as his own pleading glance he'd shot him only a second before, he frowned more deeply, a knowing expression on his face. How could he leave with the other feeling this way? The likelihood of Sonic's escape was slim at this rate, whereas Shadow's disappearance was.. in all honesty, probably expected and hoped for. Brows furrowed, he stood his ground and looked away from the piercing green eyes. He had to stay. There was no other option.

Unaware of the wordless communication going on between the two boys, Amy figured out how to work the radio correctly after a couple of tries, and after sending Tails the message, "TAI--...-nd Sonic a- ..with ..--adow." It took her a moment to realize she had to hold down the button the whole time, but when she did, she screamed into the receiver, "Come to Angel Island! Near the Red Mountain gate!"

"Oh, Amy..." Sonic held his hands against his ears as she yelled, her voice driving him near crazy.

"Roger!" Tails's voice came back seemingly just as loud considering the radio's set volume. The blue hedgehog was suddenly regretting ever confronting the pink one but didn't have the heart to yell at her as much as he did mentally.

Once again Sonic attempted to stand, this time managing to do so. He didn't want to look so sick when the fox arrived, certain to ask him a million questions. Maybe it wasn't too late to get out of this.

"I just caught a little something, Amy." He tried his hand at reassuring despite the accidental scene he caused; and the vivid paleness under his fur didn't help matters any either.

"Me and Shadow... Ah, we really need to get going." His stomach rumbled this time, intent on embarrassing him further. Despite his lack of appetite, his body was eager to warn him of his lack of nutrition. He hasn't had a decent meal since this whole mess started and his body felt like it was running even lower on energy.

Intent on ignoring this, he looked over at Shadow once more, apparently needing some assistance. "Right?" He was certain he'd back him up on this; although doubted anyone could be as stubborn as Amy once her mind was made up.

Shadow had kept his back to the two until his name was called. Not so sure that his words meant much in the matter, and seeing that Amy was clearly beating him to saying anything, Shadow kept silent for a moment to let her respond.

"But Sonic! We've been so worried! You're sick! And after Shadow dragged you into that mess, it's no wonder your immune system is down!"

Go back a few clicks. Since HE dragged Sonic into what? THAT was enough to warrant Shadow's undivided attention, and a few words himself as he interrupted her last word with an, "I most certainly did nothing of the sort."

Stubborn lime met Shadow's intense red for a moment before his lip started to curl.

Sonic grimaced at Amy's willingness to blame the matter on him when it was completely the other way around. It was no surprise Shadow was clearly offended. He was quick to intervene, not wanting an altercation to break out between them; he was rather taken aback Amy managed to distort her view to think that in the first place.

He looked at the worked up pink hedgehog, hoping to draw her attention. "No, Amy. Shadow didn't drag me into anything. It was Eggman, and I..." He frowned, feeling anguish.

"Trust me, it's not his fault. ...It's mine."

Both turned to stare at Sonic, clearly surprised. Amy couldn't imagine why in the world anything could be Sonic's fault (aside from him avoiding her, and she was sure it was only because he was shy and had very important hero things to do), and Shadow looked concerned, not sure that this was something Sonic necessarily wanted to get into.

Shadow swallowed, feeling guilty, and turned away once more, arms crossing over his chest.

The girl frowned in disbelief, unsure what to say. How could she argue with Sonic? But he couldn't be in his right mind, he was sick, and he just didn't like putting the blame on anyone else, that was it. All the same, she kept quiet, finally looking to her feet for some kind of comfort to make up for the awkward silence.

The sound of Tails's plane suddenly became evident in the air, going briefly ignored.

Sonic's lips pursed into a strong frown, his eyes remaining mostly on Amy. He didn't want to disappoint her, he didn't want to disappoint anyone. But it seemed there was no way around that now. "I'm sorry, Amy. Things are really complicated right now..." And Shadow guessed right, it wasn't anything he wanted to get into. He'd like to forget it all ever happened but he knew the chances of that were nonexistent.

Her ears perked and she looked towards the new arrival, descending slowly against the surrounding mountains. Her bitterness left, if only temporarily, as she met Sonic's eyes, pleading like she always did. She knew he still wanted to leave, but she couldn't let him. Still, she knew she had to tell him, however much she wanted him to stay, "GUN's looking for you."

This being no surprise to him, Shadow sighed, watching the color change to a subtle pink on the horizon as the sun started to settle. At last he peered back over his shoulder, feeling a bit more relaxed after clearing his thoughts, but all was not forgotten as seemed to be the case with Amy. He didn't budge from his spot, just offered a glance at the two hedgehogs before looking up towards the plane drawing near, just as Amy did the same.

The Tornado landed in a small clearing not too far from them. Tails had every intention of using his tails to fly the rest of the way to the group, in a hurry to reunite with Sonic, and hoping he was alright. Not just that, but he also had quite a few questions, ones Sonic would be anticipating. The hedgehog was surprised Amy didn't ask more. But she wasn't exactly letting go of the subject either.

"I know." The blue hedgehog said quite simply, at least figuring as much. It was upsetting, but nothing he didn't expect.

"...What is the media saying, exactly?" Or what is anyone saying? Part of him wondered if most of the people were believing Eggman's side of the story, or if anyone truly realized the monster he transformed into.

Shadow watched the two out of the corner of his eye a minute, before blinking slowly and glancing back to where the fox was coming in. The wind reached them, and Amy moved to hold her skirt in place as her knees came together, another hand on her bangs. She stole a glance at Shadow, then blinked back at Sonic, "Well... they're saying you two teamed up against the military to get some special technology that ended up being stolen..."

She couldn't help but lower her head as she gazed up at him apologetically, "They said Dr. Eggman had to help them... and that you two escaped. They..." her voice lowered to almost a whisper as she addressed Sonic, uncertainty present, and the true reason she was avoiding speaking much on the matter became, perhaps, a bit more clear, "showed security videos of you and Shadow fighting.. Sonic, if he hurt you..." She slowed to a stop, hoping he would permit her to take care of the ebony hedgehog.

Sonic rubbed his stomach idly, the sharp pangs he felt beginning to die down into something a little less agonizing. "Apparently Eggman was up to no good again and somehow tricked GUN agents into working with him. They were trying to take me in when Shadow arrived." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, though whether it was related to his current sickness, or the thought of what happened, they may not be able to tell; but it was a little bit of both. "Shadow... he..." In an attempt to explain why they were fighting, the words ran off from him. He wasn't sure how to say it without Amy bringing up more questions.

"Sonic!" Tails's voice intervened, briefly catching his attention. He looked over, forced a smile on his face as the fox landed on the ground and trotted to a stop next to him, looking expectedly eager.

Miles wanted to hug him but managed to resist, his twin tails swishing up and down excitedly as he momentarily ignored Shadow and the other pink hedgehog.

"You're okay." He stated though questioned himself a moment later. "Well... Actually, you don't look so good. But at least you're alive." That was the main thing!

"GUN has been looking all over for you." Well, not just him; eyes darted to Shadow as well. "What happened to you guys?" The excitement transformed into concern as a frown pulled at his lips.

Sonic looked overly reluctant to continue this conversation.

Shadow cut in, staring at the rolling waters below. "I think it's best if we leave." He suddenly didn't like being out in the open like this, senses screaming at him as he focused on their surroundings with all his ability. Perhaps it was the new arrival, perhaps it was the atmosphere within the group, or perhaps he had a good reason to feel so suspicious of the environment so immediately. Whatever it was, the simple discomfort of Amy's company was turning into paranoia.

They could leave.. sure. But not without her. Sensing a change in the black hedgehog's temperament, Amy grasped Sonic's left forearm, leaving his right one free to tend to his stomach. She watched the striped Guardian with a wary eye for a beat, then turned back to Tails. "Is there room for..." she pursed her lips as she paused, then resumed quickly after a thought, "all of us in the plane if Sonic's not up on the wing?"

Easily excited, she looked hopeful, if only for a moment, "I could sit in his lap, if I need to!" But.. Sonic was sick, right? Maybe not a great idea. It seemed backwards and awkward enough, but if it would make things better for her hero, "or he can sit on mine."

Tails fidgeted and stared thoughtfully, wondering if it'd be such a good idea. "Well... I think it could be possible..." Though it wasn't the safest way to fly.

Sonic interjected, not so comfortable with leaving their safe area, and especially not with the idea of sitting on or being sat on by Amy. "You guys go. Me and Shadow will stay here." He insisted, "There's less of a chance of us being spotted by GUN if we stay in one location."

"But Sonic... What will you guys do for food or shelter?" Tails frowned, once more looking concerned for his hero. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"No.. " Amy also started to argue, silently at first, so silently that her word of disagreement could easily go unnoticed by the other three. Finding her voice quickly, she countered a bit more loudly, "No, Sonic! You can't! It's not fair!" although she wouldn't specify whether it was unfair to the two male hedgehogs or to herself. "Besides, you're WAY sick. If someone doesn't take care of you, you might get worse! Someone has to feed you and make sure you're comfortable and entertain you and--"

"I'll do it." Before Amy could finish, and before he knew what was said, Shadow interrupted with his eager remark, then turned away immediately upon catching a glimpse of Sonic's emerald eyes. Was he staring at Shadow? Glaring? He didn't have the courage to turn back to see. Despite the fact that his intent went well over Amy's head, and probably the kid fox's, he was still absolutely embarrassed with himself, muttering excuses along the lines of, "I mean, can't have any more with us.. two is plenty..."

Taking the response at face value, but deciding firmly that Shadow was a schizophrenic, Amy gaped openly at the grumbling creature, leaning a bit more closely to Sonic for safety, "What..is he saying?"

Slowly, a smile curved at the corner of Sonic's lips, small and barely there. Amusement and life flickered in his eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, Amy." Sonic cooed, the distraction making him nearly forget all about his nausea.

"That's just Shadow being considerate. It seems we've bonded a lot through this whole deal. ...Haven't we, Shadow?" A mean smile ignited his facial features although the prolonged subject also flew over Tails's head, who glanced back and forth between the two cluelessly.

A wide-eyed glare was shot towards Sonic, and Shadow's beige lips parted to initiate a poorly judged, "Fuck you!" before he decided this was, perhaps, not the greatest choice of words, and he only ended up closing his mouth without a word. He grunted and looked away once more, thinking that Sonic didn't quite deserve any sort of response, and what he did was more than what he should have.

Amy had been at the ready, looking prepared to pull out her Piko Piko Hammer when the striped hedgehog spun about quickly, looking rather wild and angry. There was no need to materialize her weapon, she realized soon after, because Shadow had no interest in even pursuing the blue male's words of amusement. She was only slightly disappointed that she didn't have the opportunity to blame this whole thing on him again. Or beat him to a pulp.

"Sonic..." desperate eyes finally fell back on the mischievous emerald. "I don't think it's funny. You really could get hurt.. well.. you know.." she learned once today that Sonic didn't want her to accuse Shadow directly, but she desired for him to understand that she knew. She KNEW what Shadow was like... Because none of it was Sonic's fault. No way!

Sonic had turned his attention back to Amy, that moment of fun diminishing with every word she brought to surface. "You worry too much, Ames. Ya know I never stay down and out for too long."

Tails brightened at Sonic's usual show of confidence but couldn't throw away ALL the worry and doubt that filtered through his mind. "Sonic... what are you going to do?" A question so simple, the azure hero couldn't answer.

Sonic forced a smile. "Just leave that up to me. Besides, I wouldn't want to bring you two into this mess. It'll be best if you guys head back and stay out of trouble."

He looked pointedly at Amy, certain she'd attempt to speak up again. "Don't worry." He assured with a handsome wink thereafter, "Trust me."

Famous last words. Shadow wasn't sure if Sonic really was so trustworthy. Given his show back in the forest only days before, he had already proven to be a liar, and rather manipulative. It was only in a charming sort of way that kept Shadow from being too bitter, but it had landed Sonic with the stitches on his forehead and Shadow with more than a few battle wounds himself.

Amy, who was only slightly reassured by the hedgehog's bold expression, felt her grip slacken on his arm. She knew, deep down, this would happen all along. Sonic never stayed in one place, whether for good or worse. He was constantly moving.

She could think of nothing else to say, a sharp pang in her gut distracting her from her thoughts of Shadow ruining Sonic's image. What could she say? He wouldn't listen. Never did. One day, she told herself, one day he would come to her. But it still wasn't that day, however unfortunate.

"Let's go." Shadow frowned, feeling even more uncomfortable with his surroundings. He took a couple of steps back towards the ledge and paused, hoping to hear Sonic's footsteps behind him.

Sonic almost felt bad for abandoning Amy when there was still so much doubt in her mind. She was never easy to get away from though. The fox was easy so long as he supplied him with enough assurance which was simple in itself to accomplish.

Although reluctant to see Sonic head off alone again (having only so much faith in Shadow), Tails never objected. Unaware of the fact that he and Amy had been played upon like pawns, leading to the most wanted hedgehogs in the area, followed by a major threat.

Sonic froze alongside Shadow, grabbing his forearm suddenly so he wouldn't make any abrupt movements. It was faint, but dread consumed his insides as his green eyes rose towards the sky, the last rays of dying sun acting mischievous in the manner of protection for a corrupt source.

There, he could see it, coming out of the brightness that blurred his vision only momentarily.

Helicopter propellers resounded faintly in the background and a sharp whistling noise became louder and louder, the subject in which Sonic managed to spot.

"Watch out!" Certain Shadow would've caught on as fast as himself, he turned around to take care of Amy and Tails.

He jumped towards them, one arm wrapping around each before forcing his legs into over-drive in order to jump out of range of a missile that had been launched directly at them.

Shadow was right to be paranoid. GUN was commencing an all out ambush.


End file.
